by DJ Morand
“Well that is unfortunate for you, Mr. Jones,” he used the honorary this time. “Abel Cain is in town and it looks like the Kodiak is grounded. Cain is injured. I just need you and The Silence to pick him up and bring him back to me. Kill the other two … wait.” He paused remembering that Abel had been traveling with Zee and a woman.
“Do what you will with the Quintarran, but bring the woman back to me, I am sure I could find a use for her.” He grinned lustfully and Mr. Jones grinned with him.
FLASHBACK
Eden - Border Towns: Silence Territory
2972 ESD - Thursday, November 5th 15:40 hours
Echo and Zee traversed the remainder of the tundra with Abel unconscious in the back of the Snowduster. His right eye had a significant tear across it. Although unconscious Abel dreamed.
* * *
Quintar V - Alpha Squadron: Command Deck
2954 ESD - Monday, September 30th 17:20 hours
“ALPHA-6, get out of there. You have no weapons, pull out!” Abel was screaming into his communications node as he watched the spheres converge on the RAVEN F. They did not appear to have any weapons, but Abel feared the worst. He was proven correct a moment later. The spheres - he had decided this was their name for the time being - slammed into Aries’ ship from various angles. Each time the spheres collided with ALPHA-6 they … split. He could not think of a better way to describe it. For each successful collision the vessel would separate into two smaller versions of itself, those in turn would separate, and so on. In the span of a few seconds the RAVEN F was a smoking wreckage plummeting to the water below.
Flak, Abel thought. He attempted to bring up his weapons. The holo-projected display returned the same DISABLED message he had received just after leaving the Terran Veil. Flakking glitches, he cursed internally. He opened the command module and activated the developer interface. With his left hand he pushed the throttle as far as he could go in atmospheric conditions. With his right he began an attempt to circumvent the lock on his weapons.
Flak flak flak, he thought as he ran into several protection protocols. The spheres had noticed him now. The ones that had broken apart on each impact were nowhere to be seen.
Maybe they get one attack, Abel thought hopefully.
Moments before the spheres reached him - he had to think of another name - the computer’s AI acknowledged his requests.
“Greetings Pilot First Class Abel, I am DINA. Dynamic Intelligent Network Assistant. I see you are attempting to access the weapons controls. Do you need assistance?” the AI was represented by a pretty young woman, with shoulder length hair. The hologram was just a face, but Abel had seen DINA before aboard the Terran Veil where she was normally depicted as a fit attractive young woman. Some of the other pilots had a pirated copy of the AI and had altered the programming; needless to say he tried not to react to the hologram so close to his face.
“Yes. DINA, I need full weapons release and targeting assistance.” Abel ordered, but the AI continued to stare at him. He figured she was processing. “DINA, I need weapons release now.”
“Negative. I am unable to query the Terran Veil for authorization. Weapons lock is by order of Admiral James David Shade, authorization is required.” DINA replied. Abel stared at the holo dumbfounded.
“Are you flakking kidding me!? We’re under attack you flakking glitch of a machine.” Abel bellowed swinging his hand uselessly through the AI. ““Isn’t there a combat override!? For god’s sake, I’m going to die!”” his panic was starting to grip him.
“ALPHA-Leader can call for a combat override, querying now.” The AI holo vanished for a few seconds, when it returned Abel was sure he could see a perplexed expression on her … its face. “I am unable to query ALPHA-Leader. There is no response.”
“Flakking machines!” Abel cursed again, “ALPHA-Leader, hell the whole flakking squadron is dead, save for me!” He knew he was arguing with code, binary, and artificial thought; he did not care, it felt good to vent.
“Acknowledged. Pilot First Class Abel Cain is now designated as ALPHA-Leader. Temporary rank designation, Captain Abel Cain, mission commander.” The AI stated. Abel practically burst out in laughter. His jubilee was cut short as a rough impact slammed into the back of his ship.
Flak, he thought. Turning the Intrigue on its axis he managed to avoid the second strike.
“DINA, scan those spheres for weaknesses, and give me a targeting array with the pulse lasers!” Abel ordered the AI, who gave a short confirmation and vanished again. Moments later a full bio-analysis of the spheres appeared on his display. Targeting reticles focused and locked on to the various enemy craft.
“Targets have been acquired,” came the disjointed voice of DINA. Abel jumped, at least what would have passed for one in the SATYR armor. “Weapons systems are fully charged.””
“DINA I am busy flying, can you fire the turrets?” Abel asked.
“Affirmative Captain.” DINA replied. As she spoke Abel could feel the jarring fire of the pulse lasers. He watched the targeting receptacle as several of the enemy craft cleared from the view screen. The targeting system, run by DINA, immediately focused on the next set of spheres. Abel, meanwhile, was working on analyzing the anomaly that had destroyed his squadron.
“DINA, I need a nav point for where the electrical field is emanating from.” Abel said.
In his calculations he was guessing that the interference was coming from the planet’s surface.
Somewhere, I know it is there, he thought.
“DINA!” he yelled.
“I am busy.” DINA said. Abel growled in frustration and used the haptic controls to flip the RAVEN S backward and over the incoming enemy craft. This maneuver broke the line of sight for the laser turrets and brought the rail gun into play. The targeting computer was still tracking three smaller spheres; Abel took control of the weapons and opened fire.
His mind split. He could not really describe how it did, only that he let his mind control his hands. The right hand targeted and fired the pulse lasers and the left hand targeted and controlled the rail gun. Bright flashes of laser light and the rattling whomp whomp of the rail gun assaulted his senses.
“I have assumed control of the navigation system, Captain Abel Cain.” DINA said as the three enemy craft burst into rubble and fell out of the sky. Abel did not argue. He suddenly felt very tired.
DINA flew the RAVEN close to the ground and arrived at a small building. The building was no bigger than the pilot’s cockpit of the RAVEN S Mark II. He climbed out of the ship, leaving his SATYR armor on. He could not be sure of the planet’s atmosphere. He entered the small building and suddenly the suit stopped responding.
“Flakking glitch,” he cursed as he hit the emergency release. The armor opened in front, but the control nodes did not release. Abel silently cursed his luck; here he was a sitting duck in enemy territory and stuck in a giant metal suit. Deciding the lives of the other pilots about to approach this planet were in jeopardy, he flung himself forward with a cry of absolute pain. The control nodes tore from his back and neck and left him feeling like a … husk, he thought. He knew he had nanites, but right now he could not feel them. His brain was still moving at lightning speed, presently with pain reception.
Abel knew his nanites had somehow been disabled, just like the SATYR armor and the RAVENs in the re-entry. Blood oozed from the points in his back and he could feel the warm stickiness of it. Pain lanced through him, threatening to take his consciousness.
I have to turn this EMP off, he thought wincing again through the horrid pain in his spine. Somehow he lifted himself up. Directly in front of his face was a small pedestal with a holographic display of a muscular blue man. Abel wrinkled his face in confusion.
It must be the pain, he thought. After opening and closing his eyes several more times he decided he was seeing the blue man. The hologram was looking at him, a hint of prideful arrogance on his face.
“Era ouy gniog ot tsuj dnats ereht?”
the hologram spoke, adding the emphasis of a question. “Tel em tuo latrom.” The second string of words was not a question.
Abel did not know what to think as he stared. There was a boom from the sky above, Abel instinctively looked up slightly to the left. He was looking for the SATYR scanners. He sighed, remembering he was not in the SATYR suit now.
The suit! He thought quickly.
Rushing to the armor he had left sitting just inside the doorway he grasped at the right arm, at the wrist specifically. With all the strength he could muster he strained against the small groove in the arm plate. The strain threatened to tear the rest of his back into a tattered mess, but he pulled with all his might. The plate popped open with a hiss of air. Abel figured it was sealed in there, but he did not care about the air. He pulled the mechanism out about a foot and removed the baton hidden there. “Od ton od tahw ouy era gnikniht!” the voice from the hologram cried.
Abel swung the baton with all his remaining strength. The black metal rod slammed into the pedestal. A shower of sparks and a short burst of energy slammed into Abel. He toppled for a moment trying to catch his footing, but eventually fell. He landed hard on his bottom, cracking his tailbone.
“Argh!” he cried as he landed.
The pain sent radiating shivers up his spine. Once he hit the ground, he could feel his nanites activate again, they were beginning to seal the wounds. He crawled to the armor.
If I can get inside it can heal me faster, he thought. He managed to reach the SATYR armor. He climbed in and prayed it was reactivated as well; it was.
Flak, he cursed silently as the control rods reinserted themselves into his spine.
“DELTA-Leader, BETA-Leader, this is acting ALPHA-Leader Captain Abel Cain. Do you read?” Abel said as he listened to static.
Don’t let them be dead, was all he could think.
“ALPHA-Leader this is DELTA-Leader, acting Captain Mercury Frinz we read you loud and clear. EMP? Did anyone survive?” Mercury asked, although Abel was sure he knew the answer already.
“Whole squadron is down DELTA-Leader, how many you got left?” Abel asked.
“DELTA-Leader lost comms and then collided with DELTA-1, DELTA-3 through 10 managed to regain power with me. No other losses. We were waiting for your signal to proceed. When we couldn’t get a signal through DELTA squadron proceeded ahead. BETA is still in orbit.”” Mercury gave him all the details he could want.
“We have some things to talk about DELTA-Leader. Better hail the Terran Veil, we may have started a war coming here.” Abel said ominously, as he examined the pedestal. The hologram was gone and Abel’s baton lay on the ground.
Something tells me I wasn’t supposed to do that, he thought regretfully.
MEDICAL TREATMENT
Eden - Border Towns: Silence Territory
2972 ESD - Thursday, November 5th 16:10 hours
The office was lit as brightly as possible with the little energy available in the Border Towns, but Echo noted that the dim light was likely a good thing. The walls were covered in something dark and the place smelled terrible. She watched as Zee stood next to a frail man with a large forehead.
It's not just a large forehead, she thought, it isa flakking five head. His hair was mostly a stark white, which only served to catch the light and illuminate his large head. Echo tried to ignore the unpleasant man and struggled to breathe properly in the doctor’’s office.
Zee and the Doctor conversed. The older man had introduced himself as Dr. Fischer in a thick accent. Echo recognized it as a Titanians accent, formerly part of the German nation on earth. The Germans had colonized Saturn’s moon, Titan; after that they were considered Titanians. That is what her history lessons had taught her at least. She hated that she felt so young next to the venerable Zee and this old goat.
“He’s going to lose the eye.” The doctor said to Zee, “nanites don’’t have the ability to regenerate organs like that. Especially not here on Eden. Hell we still lose some to cancer here.” The doctor lamented.
It had been at least a century since the last case of cancer had been reported among humans. More than thirty individuals had died from the disease on Eden since the colony settled. Eden, being on the fringes of civilization, left it in dire straits more often than not.
“He may not, good Doctor,” Zee began to explain. “He has updated nanites and a neural implant that should provide sufficient healing. Can you provide a catalyst?”” The doctor looked perplexed. He obviously didn’t get Zee’s meaning.
“What kind of catalyst are you looking for?” he said with a hint of disgust. He still wasn’t sure about the two Quintarrans, at least he thought the girl was a Quintarran. ““I am not even sure the nanites will do the job.” The doctor decided he didn’t like either of them or their captain. If they had credits that would do, but if they intended to take him for a fool, they would have another thing coming.
“They have already started Doctor Fischer. They need an electrical surge equal to twelve milliamperes to complete the work.” Zee’s face was serious.
“Twelve!? Are you kidding!? Seven would kill him, and you want to use twelve!?” the doctor was nearly screaming. In all my time as a medical professional I have never administered even half the amount this Quintarran blueberry is suggesting, he thought.
“It will not kill him.” Zee said as calmly as he could. He could feel the rising hatred in the doctor and it was starting to unnerve him. Zee had readily agreed to stay in Dark Space with Captain Abel Cain, primarily because it kept him from such human prejudice.
“Who is the doctor, you or I?” Fischer demanded.
“You are, certainly, but you do not know about this man. Twelve milliamperes is what is needed. Please apply it. I can connect your defibrillator to a sufficient amount of power.” Zee offered.
“I’ll not be a party to this. You are going to kill this man. Get out, the both of you!” the doctor began to shout. Echo Shade, trusting that Zee knew what he was talking about, grasped the doctor and put him into a chokehold. The doctor gasped for breath, but with his airway cut off he soon lost consciousness.
“I figured you just need the equipment after what you said.” Echo said as Zee gave her a weary look. He recognized her human impetuousness, likely more than she did herself.
“Indeed.” He said dryly as the doctor fell limply to the floor, “and what, pray tell, do you intend to do if medical attention is needed?”” At his displeasure Echo looked a bit sheepish and shrugged.
“We’ll have to figure it out?” she offered pitifully.
“It would seem so.” Zee said reproachfully. “Hand me the defibrillator. This is archaic you know.” It was a statement more than a question.
“If we had gone back to the Kodiak we could have linked him to her interface and charged his nanites on the ship, without any second guessing. We need exactly twelve milliamperes, or we will kill him.” Zee said gravely.
Echo looked shocked by the news, “should we just bring him back to the ship then!?” she proffered. “If we fail here we could lose his life, if we take him back he may only lose the eye.”
“Do you want to be the one to explain to him why he is not whole?” Zee said, taking a hard stance for reasons Echo could not understand. She faltered then, and shook her head.
“Not precisely, no.” she said.
“Then we do this now, with what we have. Hand me that communications device. The battery in it should give us the sufficient charge.” Zee commanded.
Echo handed him the communication node and he stripped the battery from it and connected it to the defibrillator. “Put him on his back and remove his shirt.” Zee told her.
Echo rolled him back and removed his shirt. She marveled at how well muscled he was. Every curve in his upper arms seemed to have their own path all the way into his shoulders. His chest was warm and he glistened slightly with sweat. She assumed this was the nanites working to keep him warm and repairing him at the same time.
; Her hands felt delicate against the rough edges of his body, she shivered before drawing away - still holding her breath she nodded to Zee, who had been waiting for her to move. She flushed as she met the Quintarran’s eyes and stepped back. Zee pressed the paddles to Abel Cain’s body and watched. Able moved only slightly as if the shock was minimal and not twelve milliamperes.
“That’s good.” Zee said, seeming to read her thoughts.
Can he? She asked herself internally. She had felt something from him back on the ship, when she was waking from unconsciousness. The thought of that started her mind again.
What are you doing here, E? She scolded herself. Echo understood that when among others it was best to keep her monologue internal, she saw how people reacted to Old Theodore when he spoke to himself. Echo mumbled a response, not sure what to say when Abel began to stir. A moment later he was gasping for air and opening his … eye.
“Flakking glitch.” It was all he said as his hand went to his eye. “It’s going to take a day for this to heal.” He said weakly.
“Zee!?” he said suddenly looking around with his good eye until he saw his friend standing above him with a defibrillator. “What the flak are you doing with that?”
* * *
Abel burst from the Doctor’s office while fitting a patch over his left eye. He was wearing his trench coat again and his plasma pistols were firmly strapped to his belt again. He struggled with the patch and the strings to tie it behind his head. Abel tried to walk, talk, and tie all at once and he stumbled. Grumbling about his apparent lack of luck, he stopped and finished securing his eye patch.