Gus

by Frank Carey

  "She told me about the drives and where they were located. She said I was to wait aboard the derelict ship until a rescue team arrived. I was to steal the freighter, then plug a drive into the ship's system and use it to return to our dimension. I get the impression that our gate generator greatly damaged the equipment at the other end."

  "What about that ship? Where did it come from?"

  "Don't know."

  "Hmmm," he said as he typed in more commands.

  "You don't approve of what we did."

  "I don't know enough about your situation to approve or disapprove. It's just... It just you were sent alone to another universe. Did you use that ship they found attached to the station?"

  She shook her head. "The last thing I remember is going to sleep in an exam room back on the homeworld. When I woke up, I was aboard that ship."

  "How long were you alone?"

  "According to my suit chrono, only about two hours..."

  "Mistress, we have exited the gate. Scans show empty space out to a light-year," Morty reported over the intercom.

  She looked at Gus.

  "The gate needs two hours and thirty minutes to recharge before we use it to go the final distance. Plenty of time for me to gain control of it. Why don't you and the others take a break."

  "What about you?"

  "I have to get this programming done. Have Matt set a proximity alarm. It'll give you plenty of warning in case someone shows up."

  "OK... And thanks. I guess we couldn't have done this without you."

  "Nah. It just would have a been a slightly calmer ride."

  She smiled, then headed to the Bridge, leaving Gus alone in the cargo hold, at least until she sealed the hatch.

  "Minnie, your thoughts?"

  "She's hiding something. She's good, but I'm better." The immortal replied as she walked out from behind a crate.

  "Horus?"

  "I agree," he said as he walked out from a dark area near the forward hatch, "though none of this makes sense."

  "Minnie, do you recollect if the Tegans ever dabbled in transuniverse portals?"

  "There is no record. The League only discovered them due to the Grange incursions a few years ago. This was followed by the Alue. If not for those incidents, it is estimated that it would have taken us at least a century to develop the technology."

  "OK, For her to get here means someone in her universe figured it out."

  "That stands to reason," Horus noted.

  "What do we know about the ship she was found in?"

  "Before we left Arctillus, the Yosho's computer downloaded the latest data patch from the station orbiting the planet. Let me go take a look," Minnie said. She stood there for a moment. "Not much. It and the station are old. Hmmmmm..."

  "What did you find?"

  "They sent a ship, the R/S Henrietta Swann Leavitt, to check out both the station and ship. Ah, here's its report from a short time ago..." She told her companions about what the Leavitt found after arriving. When she finished, she looked at Horus, then Gus. "I've seen that look before."

  "Could they have drugged her, then placed her aboard the derelict just in time for a passing probe to find her?" he asked.

  "It fits, but that means they knew when the probe was going past. They had to know both its course and speed," Horus noted.

  "Or they were in contact with it."

  "They were using the Memphis probe as a relay." Gus said.

  Gus threw a stylus across the room. "They've hacked into the InterWeb. It's the only way they could even know about the second probe."

  "But how..." Minnie asked, but stopped. "The Memphis!"

  "Somehow, they were able to capture that ship and use it to access both its copy of the database and the InterWeb. Luckily, for security reasons, designs for the transuniverse portal generators are locked in Elven Industries' servers which don’t have InterWeb connections."

  "And all sensitive and classified data is isolation-stored at the Cube."

  "Still, that's a lot of data left available."

  "So, what do we do?" Horus asked.

  Gus stopped typing. "We continue as if nothing has changed. We take this ship and its cargo to the other universe."

  "Are you nuts?" Minnie asked. "Like the Leavitt's Captain said, they could open an invasion sized portal between the two universes..."

  "I can put a lock in the program to prevent anyone from using the units to create a portal without going through me first. Once we’re on the other side, we can assess the situation before deciding our next step."

  "We could end up stranded over there," Horus pointed out.

  "Which is why I want you two to enter the InterWeb and find your way to the Leavitt..."

  "NOT HAPPENING, OTTER BOY!" Minnie said with her face millimeters from his.

  "What she said," Horus added, "though in a more civilized manner."

  "What about Matt?"

  "He comes along. I think he's smitten with her, and her him," Gus noted. "Horus, can you isolate us from the rest of the ship for few minutes?"

  The sound of locks engaging, ducts sealing, and A/V feeds clicking off filled the hold for a moment. "I assume you want to make a call," Horus said.

  "I need to tell Neta our plan."

  "Go for Tavish," a voice said from the view screen and an image of Dir. Tavish shimmered into existence. "YOU! I knew you were alive. Listen, Gus, you are ordered not to proceed to the other universe, and get your ass and your guests back here ASAP!"

  "You know, Neta, I miss these quiet talks we have. Now, could you stop ranting for just one minute? I don't have much time."

  Seething, Neta relented, so Gus told her what they had surmised.

  She stopped seething as a look of concern washed over her face. "You, and your two immortal companions, are insane."

  "You know who we are?" Horus asked, impressed.

  "Athena and Horus, or is it Minerva and Horus? Of course I know who the hell you are, it's my job to know things. Are you two really going to follow him into the breach?"

  "Gus, I can see why you're in love with her," Minnie said.

  "I, too, see the logic, Horus added."

  "What?" both mortals blurted out.

  "But what does she see in him?" Horus asked while tilting his head.

  "I don't know," Minnie replied. "He must be a good kisser."

  Horus nodded.

  Neta shook her head. "I forbid this plan of action. You are not to cross over for any reason."

  Gus rubbed his over-sized eyes while emitting a series of high-pitched noises, then said in standard, "Arrest me when I return. I ask that you don't warn the Leavitt. I'd hate to tip my hand to whoever is listening in from the other side"

  "Get the hell back here. That's an order."

  "Goodbye, Neta. Yosho Maru out."

  "Gustav Curran..." the link went dead as Gus hit a switch. "She is not in love with me, dammit!"

  "Right," Horus replied as he unsealed the hold from the rest of the ship. "Our mistake."

  "I never heard you squeak in frustration before," Minnie said as she walked over to the hatch and peered out into the corridor.

  Gus glared at her as he got back to work. "It was a guidance prayer in old Storen."

  "Was it answered?" Horus asked.

  "In a way. We've got at least one League ship waiting for us at Charlene. We need to cross-over the moment we're in range."

  "Ummm, we think the existing portal is only a few feet wide. This freighter is slightly larger than that," the Goddess of Knowledge pointed out.

  Gus nodded toward the drive unit bolted to the floor. "Matt's already connected it to the power system." He reached down and picked up a thick, fiber optic cable. He carried it over to a wall and plugged it into a port. "I so love standardized IO ports." He walked back and grabbed a manual out of the crate of drive units. "Horus, buddy, could you go up to the Bridge and run the initialization routines while we finish up here?" he asked as he handed the big immortal t
he book.

  "On it," Horus replied as he took the book and headed out of the hold.

  When he was gone, Gus turned to Minnie. "Am I in love with Neta?"

  She smiled and nodded. "Oh yeah, big time. Don't you know?"

  "It's been a while—twenty years to be exact. You may not have noticed, but I don't date much."

  "Come to think of it, I've never seen you go out. When was the last time?"

  "Twenty years ago." He grabbed a handful of cables and walked them over to the wall. "Could you flip that bank of flashing switches when I tell you?"

  She sat down and placed her hand over the controls. "Sure." She watched him, suddenly worried about her friend.

  CHAPTER FORTY

  Kel sat in the small conference room, waiting for the others to arrive. There was a knock at the door followed by a steward carrying a hot tea service. She poured him a cup before leaving him alone once more to wait.

  A few minutes later, another knock signaled the arrival of the captain and two guests, both of which Kel recognized.

  "Ash? Grayson? I wasn't aware you were part of this expedition," Kel said as he hugged Ashley and shook Grayson's hand.

  "You three know each other?" Captain Marsden ask as Kel handed him a tea.

  Kell beamed at the two gray-tinged Logash. "Both have taken courses I taught, and they've worked at the bakery their father, Prince Lucien, opened in the Ventosian capital. It's so good to see you both. How are your parents doing?"

  "Both are doing great," Ash replied, referring to her mother, Shenda McMurphy, the elfling Captain of the freighter Marta McMurphy, and Chasm, her genetically engineered life form Crystallanian father.

  "Dad is thinking of taking one of your classes the next time he has extended leave," Grayson added.

  "Good to hear. Good to hear. So, Captain, what's going on?"

  The captain told him about finding the Memphis probe and the open portal. Then he told Kel about Gustav Curran. "Curran was hired by R-Sec to find and retrieve Ms. Hardy and Mr. Apeloko as well as the Yosho Maru and its cargo. Instead, Mr. Curran is helping Ms. Hardy cross over to the other universe, presumably with the Yosho and its cargo."

  "How? You said the portal is only big enough for one or two people?"

  "The experimental drive pairs being carried by the Yosho can bridge the gap between this universe and Ms. Hardy's."

  "So, he's coming here. Why?"

  "This station is next to an inter-universe crossover point. These points were discovered by Prince Lucien when he was still Harmon Aymar, the Smuggler Elf. We think they're using it to somehow power both the portal and the probe. We also think Ms. Hardy planned to return here and off-load her cargo through the portal."

  "But we're in the way, aren't we?"

  "Undoubtedly. Mr. Curran is probably going to use one of the experimental units to create a portal or augment the existing one."

  That'll save time. I still don't know how I fit into all of this."

  Ashley took Kel’s hand in hers. "Doctor, you know Grayson and I are Logash, right?"

  "Of course."

  "And you know we can shunt from one location to another, right?"

  He nodded.

  "What you don't know is that having Chasm as a father gave us both a little something extra," Grayson said as he and Ash touched a vase sitting on the table between them. It disappeared, then reappeared in the corner where it dropped harmlessly to the floor.

  "By the gods! You can shunt objects without resorting to carrying them through?"

  "Yep," Ashley said.

  The captain explained further. "With your permission, I am going to have these two shunt you aboard the Yosho Maru as it passes by on its way through the portal."

  "What did you just say?" Kel asked.

  "Doctor," Grayson explained, "Ash and I would never do anything that could cause you harm."

  "He's right, Dr. Hardy," the captain added. "You'll be wearing an armored space suit..."

  "And there is no chance of you ending up in a bulkhead. We never have," Ashley reminded the Basili.

  "You're sure?" Kel asked.

  "Completely." Ashley said with an arm hug to boot.

  "OK. Why me?"

  "Because you're Kellen Matu Hardy, and you know how to gather data."

  Kel looked to the ceiling. "I take it you forgot about these," he said while spreading his wings. "My analog in the other universe is supposedly wingless."

  "No, we haven't forgotten. You just need to keep them hidden. All we want you to do is find a terminal and use it to get into their computer system. Find out what the other you and the other Sheila have planned."

  Kel thought for a moment, then nodded. "Of course I'll do it. What do I have to do to prep?"

  "Nothing. Ash and Grayson will be your escorts while you're aboard the station. Team One has finished their sweep, so you and your scholars will be allowed in to do your work. Meanwhile, we've sent out probes to keep a lookout for the Yosho. The Lts. McMurphy have your gear. All you will need to do is make sure they're near you at all times."

  "Do I have time to call my mate?"

  "Of course. Just keep this on the QT for now."

  Kel nodded.

  "If there are no further questions, then you are dismissed, Doctor. LTs, stay a moment."

  Kel walked out, leaving the three officers sitting. When the hatch closed, the captain turned to the McMurphies and asked, "Well? Are you two ready for this?"

  "Yes, sir," they said in unison.

  "Good. Because if anything goes wrong, you and I are going to tell Sheila together. Have you ever met his mate?"

  They both nodded, nervously.

  "Good, then you know why we don't want to have to give her any bad news. Dismissed."

  They got up and walked out. Once out in the corridor, Ash turned to her brother. "OK, now I'm worried."

  "Very," Grayson added as they headed to the airlock staging area.

  ###

  Sheila was sitting on the couch, reading through a pile of term papers, when the call came through. Sam was taking a nap, so she turned the viewer's volume down. "Go for Hardy."

  "Hey, Sheila," Kel said as his image shimmered into view.

  "Hey, Dragon. How's it going out there in the LMC?"

  "Good. We arrived on station and my team is about to debark. How are you? How's Sam?"

  "Good and good. What's wrong, Dragon? I can tell when you're avoiding something."

  "Nothing... Probably..." He hung his head. "When this is over, I'm through with this 'Save the League' shit for good. I'm a school teacher, for gods' sake, not a secret agent."

  "You make a great secret agent," Sheila replied. She should know for she was one. She tapped a switch on the viewer's controller, which caused the edge of the screen to glow green. "The link is secure, so talk."

  "You can do that?" he asked in amazement.

  "Of course. I also drink vodka martinis when the need arises. Now spill it.

  He nodded, then unleashed a torrent of information about their daughter's analog, Gus, and Kel's current assignment.

  "Is Gus OK?" she asked.

  Kel nodded. "Yeah, though Neta is fit to be tied. What do you think about the McMurphy twins transmitting me onto that ship?"

  She smiled. "I watched them do it with a fully-armed Marine. Those two are good, and they're the only Logash in this universe that can perform the feat."

  "You're still an agent, aren't you?"

  "Semi-retired. They call me in from time-to-time to consult."

  "So I shouldn't worry?"

  "About me or about your upcoming trip?"

  "Both."

  "No to both. Worry doesn't help in any way. Trust the kids, they would never allow harm to come to you."

  "I miss you two," he said as he touched the screen.

  "Back at you," she replied while placing her hand over the image of his. "Did you want me to go and wake the daughter?"

  "No. Let her rest. She has a lot of growing
to do. I'll see you both in a few days."

  "I love you, Kellen Matu Hardy."

  "I love you. Sheila Hardy. Over and out."

  Sheila sat for a moment, then wiped a tear from her eye. "Computer, commlink to my mother."

  "Working..."

  "Hello?"

  "Mom, Sheila. What are you and dad up to this afternoon?"

  ###

  Neta stared out her office window, wondering about her life and the decisions she had made regarding Gus. She didn't even notice her tail forming question marks behind her.

  There was a knock at the door.

  "Come!" Neta said as she continued to stare out the window. A moment later, she was joined by Sheila who was holding two glasses of white wine. "What's up, girlfriend?" Neta asked as she took one of the glasses.

  "I hear Gus almost bought the farm."

  Neta looked at her friend. "Damn. Sorry, I should have called you. He's fine, though he's going to have a bald spot for a while."

  "Are you aware that my mate is going to be shunted over to a moving ship by the McMurphy twins?"

  "You two talked?"

  "Of course."

  "Worried?"

  "Only that you're off your game. Normally, I would have known he was traveling before he did. What's up?"

  "Nothing."

  "For the head of an elite spy agency, you sure lie badly."

  Neta said nothing.

  "You know, he's in love with you."

  "That's what everyone is telling me."

  "Including him. I thought you elves followed your hearts in these matters."

  "I have a job, responsibilities. I don't have time for love, and I certainly don't have time to keep track of Gustav Curran."

  "You do know he is perfectly capable of taking care of himself."

  Neta sighed. "What do you think I should do?"

  "When he gets back, sit down and talk to him. Once you get past the bravado, you will find a good guy."

  "What if he doesn't come back?"

  "He will. Have faith. How many warships have you dispatched to Charlene?"

  "You know about Charlene?"

  "I read reports, so shoot me."

  "Six—five cruisers and Annihilator II."

  "You sent a six-mile long by one-mile wide battle wagon. You are serious."

  "The Olympian government wanted to test her out, so I offered to bring her along."