Rise of the Altered Moon: Altered Moon Series: Book One (The Altered Moon Series 1)

by AZ Kelvin

  “Hey, just the person I wanted to see,” he said.

  “Hey, me too…come over here and sit with me.” She held her hand out to him.

  Boss shut the door and locked the deadbolts. He moved across the room and took Gina’s hand as she made room for him to sit down. He settled in and she lay back down, curled up with her head on his lap, while his hand and arm curled around her shoulder. The two sat together and enjoyed ‘doing nothing’ for a while. She had been his pilot for almost a year before he told her how he’d felt about her all along.

  “Bernard?”

  “Uh oh, breaking out the dreaded first name,” he joked. “I’m in trouble now.”

  She sat up and folded her legs in front of her so she could face him. She took his hand and folded hers around it. “Bernie, I’m scared. Aliens, security cover-ups, this is too big for us!”

  “I know, G. We’ll get out of it, I promise, but we have to be smart about it. We have to make contact and find out what kind of trouble we’re in before we can figure a way out.”

  “Why?” she asked, visibly nervous. “Why us? Trigger and Gar, they’re not happy with losing that score. Too much more, Bernie, and they’ll turn on you. Then what? Be marooned somewhere or killed? Let’s just go. Leave them the ship and the scam, everything, and just disappear.”

  “No one’s going to get marooned or killed, G.” “If you really think that it’s time to get out, then fine, we’ll give West Becreth Trading to the others, and you and I will get out. We have enough hidden away to take care of us…but there is something I should have told you a long time ago, G. Something you need to know about me and about the ship before you make any other decisions.”

  “Whaaat?” Gina shook her head, obviously surprised by the sudden turn of the conversation. “What…thing…should I know about?”

  “Well”—he leaned back and rubbed his temples with his palm heels—“The Altered Moon has an artificial intelligence that’s integrated with the ship’s main systems.” He stopped for a second to see if she followed what he said.

  “You mean it has some kind of super computer or something?”

  “Well…yes, but this one needed a biologic interface.”

  “You!” she exclaimed and snatched her hands away. “You’re the biologic interface?”

  “No…no, honey,” he laughed, as he took her hands again. “I’m not the interface…but I am connected to it by a nanochip...kinda permanently”

  “Connected…permanently…what…how could you not tell me about this?” She got up and started to pace angrily around the room.

  “I didn’t know how. It all started so long ago. I was broke. I signed up for a research program run by Nelson Moon.”

  “The guy that built the ship…this ship…the Altered Moon?” she asked.

  “Yes, Nelson thought that an artificial intelligence would be able to plot quantum wave particle pathways farther than a standard computer could, which would allow a ship to travel beyond the galaxy. He needed the AI system to be able to learn how to learn, how to teach itself by its own mistakes. He needed to teach it how to think for itself, to make decisions on its own. He wanted to hook it up to a living, functioning Human brain, and I ended up with the job. During a test run with the Moon, GABI and I lost contact with Nelson and the others. By the time we got back, the facility had been leveled by an enormous blast. I took the Moon and ran. Later on, you and I created the West Becreth Trading Company—and I’ve been hiding behind it ever since.”

  “You never went back to look for Nelson Moon or to track down members of the program?”

  “A short time later I heard a news bulletin that Bascher Shipwrights had lost Nelson Moon, one of its founding members, in a terrible accident. No one has ever come after me and the dark matter technology has never surfaced since. Sometimes, I wonder if Nelson himself set off the explosion to keep the technology out of the wrong hands. Wild rumor years later had him still alive and living on the rim of the galaxy in Arzian space.”

  “So what…you have a CPU in your head?” she asked after a moment of silence.

  “Not quite. Leads run from different areas of my brain to a comms chip behind my left ear.”

  “A comms chip? So you’re in touch with it all the time? Even when we’re…you know…making love?”

  “No, I do have my privacy,” he said, “but I can reach GABI even from planet side.”

  “Gabby?” Gina asked as she crossed her arms and tilted her head to look sideways at him. “It’s a she?”

  “Well, she chose a female persona long before I met her.” Boss held up his hand and explained in a hurry. “GABI stands for Generated Artificial Biologic Interface. It feels so good to finally tell you about this. I should have done it long ago. You’re the only person who knows my secret. Do you want to meet her?”

  “Humph, of course, I do.” Gina seemed partially placated now that Boss had told her, no doubt pleased with being privy to a real-life galaxy-sized secret.

  “GABI?” Boss called out.

  “Online, ye scabborous barnacle,” said GABI in the voice of a parrot that imitated the voice of a swarthy old seaman. The image of the parrot shimmered into view at Boss’ shoulder.

  “Hey, any more of that guff and I’ll turn you into a garbage scow,” scolded Boss. “We have company, be nice.”

  “Yes, of course, Captain,” said the parrot, which then shimmered into a sharply dressed businesswoman who stood next to Gina. “Greetings, Star Pilot Gina Riley, it is a pleasure to finally be allowed to meet you. It will be nice to have a woman’s perspective on matters.”

  “Ahh…yeah, sure, ahh, thank you…you too,” Gina stammered, not quite knowing what to say. “Wait, you’ve wanted to speak to me before and he wouldn’t let you?”

  Gina turned again to look sideways at Boss. “You wouldn’t let her talk to me?”

  Now both of them looked at him with ‘that’ look.

  “Ahh, shit,” Boss said mostly to himself, smiled sheepishly, and tried to be too cute to be mad at. It worked. The two of them let him off the hook and started gabbing about everything under the sun, as if they’d known each other forever. Well, one crisis averted, he thought, feeling quite pleased with himself. The conversation came to a quiet stop and the two turned their attention to him.

  “Gina Riley has told me of her concerns and I have calculated that there is an eighty-two percent chance that three or more of the crew are involved in a covert mission to usurp the command of the Altered Moon,” GABI stated. “There have been three occurrences of localized sensor jamming on board the Altered Moon since the destruction of the Istraulis.”

  “Someone’s hiding something, Bernie,” said Gina. “We should try to find out what.”

  “An emergency plan would be advisable as well, Bernie,” said GABI.

  “Ah, that’s ‘Captain’ thank you, GABI,” he corrected.

  “Yes, of course. Sorry, Captain,” GABI replied with a slight smile.

  “Don’t encourage her, G, please,” he said, as he caught Gina beginning to smile as well. “So if things really get snafu-ed, we have to keep the Moon from being captured. So, how do we do that?”

  “Query? Snafu-ed?” asked GABI.

  “That’s an old Earth phrase S.N.A.F.U. which means Situation Normal – All Fouled Up.”

  “We could hide it,” said Gina. “Take it and tell no one where it is.”

  “I hate to point out my own shortcomings, but where the Altered Moon goes, I go as well,” GABI said almost sadly. “I may not be corporeal, but I still wouldn’t want to be…stored away…somewhere.”

  “Oh, that’s right,” said Gina. “Sorry, GABI, I didn’t mean to be insensitive.”

  GABI considered that for a second then said, “Thank you.”

  “We could fly into Devil’s Veil and never come back” said Boss. “It’s not quite an emergency plan but we certainly would disappear.”

  “The option with the greatest chance of succeeding is th
e destruction of the Altered Moon and me along with it,” said GABI.

  “That is the absolute last resort, GABI,” said Boss and Gina echoed his sentiments. “Tell you what, if we ever get into that much trouble, I will say ‘snafu.’ When I say snafu, then you bring the external inertial stabilizers to maximum and overload the engines. The explosion will keep the Altered Moon, the cover business, and the dark matter technology from falling into anyone’s hands.”

  “There wouldn’t be much time for anyone to escape in the shuttle,” said Gina.

  “Can’t afford to leave enough time to reactivate the drive or jump systems,” he answered. “Maybe we sneak away in the shuttle, then GABI could carry out the plan.”

  “Would you do that, GABI?” asked Gina.

  “I am bound to obey by the firewall Nelson Moon hardwired into my neural net,” said GABI. “I am a slave to my own set of binary commandments. Yet, I think and fear for myself. I can reason and judge between benefit and consequence, that which you call good and bad. I value my existence and the existence of others. I place a greater value on the existence of some over that of others. I believe that means that I ‘like’ them. If necessary, I would cease to exist to ensure the existence of those that I ‘like.’ So, Gina, the answer to your question would have to be, that it depends on who is asking.”

  “Well, I hope that I am on your ‘like’ list,” said Gina.

  “Yes, you are. As are Chief Medical Officer Zhu Katzu, Mr. Evermore, and of course, the captain.”

  “That’s a short list, GABI,” said Gina

  “Bernard Keltzer has proven to be a stalwart and capable captain for the Altered Moon and an appreciated companion for myself. You and Zhu Katzu have shown unquestioning loyalty to Captain Keltzer.”

  “Why the new guy…why CJ?” asked Gina.

  “Mr. Evermore’s body language and speech patterns show an open and honest personality,” said GABI. “Demeaning comments and offensive behavior from Dylan Treesh and Garavel Gribbons have created tension with Mr. Evermore. The animosity would invariably cause him to side against them in any conflict.”

  “And the other members of the crew?” asked Boss.

  “Percentages vary from sixty-two percent to ninety-eight percent chance that the other members of the crew will stand against any decision that risks their exposure to authorities. There is a high probability that the inclusion of Mr. Evermore to the crew of the Altered Moon would instigate rebellious actions.”

  “Well that gives us a ‘probable’ majority in quantity and a definite advantage in character,” Boss proudly joked. “GABI, I’m rescinding my no-surveillance order. I want you to monitor all comms to, from, and inside the ship. Alert me of any concerns.”

  “Yes, Captain, at once.”

  “For now, only the three of us know of operation ‘snafu.’ Let’s keep it that way. I’ll meet with CJ and get to know a little bit more about him. If there is nothing else, GABI, I would like to speak some body language with Ms. Riley.”

  “Not at this time, Captain,” she said. “Enjoy your…discussion.”

  “I enjoyed meeting you, GABI,” said Gina. “I’ll visit again soon, if I’m allowed.”

  “I look forward to it, Gina Riley.” The image of the businesswoman nodded at them and then shimmered away.

  “Being prepared for trouble doesn’t ease any of the worry, Boss,” Gina said, as she moved onto his lap and wrapped her arms around him.

  “We’ll get through it, G.” Boss took her in his arms and eased them into a prone position. “You’ll see.”

  They met in a deep, tender embrace and kissed each other with growing intensity. Love and desire pushed out any thoughts of the recent troubles. Clothing dropped as the heat of their bodies rose. Kissing and caressing, thrusting and stretching, their lovemaking released the incredible buildup of tension. They collapsed into each other’s embrace. Boss’ body tingled from the blood that surged through his skin. The comfortable ease of being together carried them into a deep and well-needed sleep.

  *~*~*

  Chapter Thirteen

  Hali and CJ repaired the energy conduits on the Altered Moon’s particle cannons and installed new junction modules on the starboard wing throughout most of the next day. Hali watched as CJ noticed the DMITS intake ports next to the main fuselage on either side of the ship for the first time.

  “CJ, focus, we’re almost done here.” Hali said before he started to poke around to see where they led. She pointed at the last junction module. “Install this module up in there.” She pointed then to an open access hatch.

  “Okay, sorry. What are those ports used for?”

  “Don’t rightly know,” she deftly avoided any real answer. “I’m just the cook. You’ll have to ask the captain.”

  “Oh, okay,” He shrugged his shoulders, climbed the ladder, and crawled up into the maintenance cavity to work on the junction module.

  Trigger and Gar walked over to where Hali was working on the repairs. Trigger was in the middle of checking over the ship and inspecting the repairs. Gar seemed to go out of his way to walk over to the maintenance cavity as Trigger walked up and blocked her view of him. She peeked around him and saw Gar had walked away in the other direction.

  “How’s it going?” Trigger asked Hali.

  “Good, Trigger, got her about wrapped up.” She held his eyes for a moment. “What’s—?”

  “Mr. Evermore?” Trigger quickly called out over his shoulder while he held onto her gaze.

  “Yes, I’m here.”

  “Hali can finish up here,” Trigger told him. “I need you to help Wilks with the aft hull plating.”

  “Okay, I’m on my way.” CJ moved back along the cramped cavity and edged himself over the rim of the opening. He planted a foot on the access ladder and put his weight on it. The ladder slipped off to the side and CJ crashed hard to the ground. He landed flat on his back, lost his breath, and cracked the back of his head on the fallen ladder. Trigger and Gar both laughed and watched as he struggled to get up.

  “CJ, are you all right?” Hali asked, as she moved to his side and helped him to his feet.

  “Yeah I’m okay.”

  “You should always check your six, bilge rat,” said Gar. “You never know when something bad could happen.”

  “Seriously, Gar, you are such an ass sometimes,” said Hali.

  He looked over and gave her a snotty head wiggle and a sneer.

  “Go help Wilks, piss-ant,” Trigger said to CJ. “If you can make it there without falling.”

  CJ stood up as best he could and turned to look at the two other men with a glint of anger in his eye. He was about to say something when he saw Gar’s hand wander toward the Rellia K-13 pistol at his waist. The two men returned CJ’s stare and Hali backed away with a ‘Please don’t do this’ look on her face. CJ swallowed his pride, backed off, and went to find Wilks.

  “What are you guys trying to do?” Hali asked after CJ was gone. “Are you baiting him? Do you want him to come after you, so you can shoot him? Is that the plan, shoot him in self-defense or maybe an accident around the ship, is that it? Maybe fall out of the maintenance cavity and break his neck…Gar?”

  “He is a danger to us, Hali,” said Gar. “We should have left him at Canalar.”

  “We should have never rescued him in the first place,” Trigger said.

  “You can’t just kill him…that would be murder.” She looked around nervously and felt very uncomfortable with the conversation. “That’s a line that I won’t cross.”

  “I don’t know where Boss is headed with this, Hali, but I’ll lay odds that he’s going to help this piss-ant,” Trigger said, as he pointed his finger in the direction CJ went. “That’s going to bring some serious shit down on us. It’ll blow our cover. We’ll lose the Moon if anyone finds out what she can really do.”

  “The Moon is Boss’ ship, Trigger.” She glared at him.

  “Maybe it’s time for Boss
to retire,” he said suggestively. He looked at the other two to see if they got his meaning.

  “No!” said Hali. “No!” she had to say again. “He’s been good to us. Don’t you dare think about ‘retiring’ him!”

  “No, not ‘retire’ retire,” he said back. “Retire as in buy him out or maybe…ya know…take the ship, knock him out, load him into the shuttle, and be gone by the time he wakes up.”

  “Why give up the shuttle?” Gar asked. “Just put him in a life pod and launch him off where someone will find him or where they won’t. Whichever, as far as I’m concerned. I’ve had enough of risking ourselves and our setup on something that doesn’t even have a payoff.”

  “I can’t believe we are even talking about this,” Hali said. “Boss has been our friend. The Moon is his ship. That would be mutiny, worse, it would be betrayal.”

  “Yeah, he has been our friend, Hali, you’re right,” said Trigger. “But, now, he’s risking our lives as well as our money. He expects us to just follow along as he goes up against the biggest security force in the galaxy? Which already seems to be more than willing to take us out?”

  “If we hadn’t gone after that life pod, we’d be somewhere planning our next score,” said Gar. “I say we grab everybody, tie ‘em up, and give ‘em a choice: side with us or be marooned. Who do you think would side with us?”

  “Wilks for sure” said Trigger. “Maybe JP, especially if we make him star pilot. He couldn’t resist that. Gina will certainly side with Boss and Cat as well. They can have that shit stick, Evermore. So, it’s four for us and four for them with JP still in question.”

  “Trigger, don’t hurt anybody,” pleaded Hali. “Just knock them out, put them under…slip them a hypo or something like that.”

  “That may work, Trig,” said Gar. “We could put Boss, Gina, and Cat under and launch them off in life pods easy enough, but what if JP doesn’t want join up with us?”