Veil of Shadows (Book 2 of The Empire of Bones Saga)

by Terry Mixon

  “You and me both.” Kelsey gestured toward the old Empire equipment. “What does that have to do with these damned machines?”

  Doctor Leonard cleared his throat. “You told us the first machine was controlled by some type of computer. It’s not responding to us in any way. We’re hoping that you can communicate with it.”

  A chill ran down Kelsey’s spine. “We didn’t exactly build up any kind of rapport and I’m not too keen on the idea of getting into either of them again.” As in, she would flat refuse to do so.

  The older man held up his hands. “We would never ask that of you. However, your implants look like they should be able to communicate with equipment like this from a distance of up to ten meters. We’d like to put a monitoring headset on you while you attempt to do so. Which would also increase the reach and throughput of your implants significantly.”

  He gestured to a large cart holding several computers and other unidentifiable pieces of equipment. An old Empire headset with cables spliced into it sat beside one of the computers. The ones they’d found on Courageous didn’t need wires. She vaguely remembered Owlet using one like this when they’d rescued her. He’d been able to directly interface with her cranial implants and see that the Pale Ones hadn’t modified their programming.

  She really didn’t want to do this, but she couldn’t argue the need. “Fine. But I have no idea what I’m supposed to do. I haven’t even been able to walk, much less feel anything in my head that seems different. As far as I can tell, the implants are turned off.”

  “They aren’t,” Owlet said. “I suspect it’s a matter of figuring out what you need to do to use them.”

  “Why didn’t I think of that?” She took a slow, deep breath. “Sorry. Exactly how should I do that?”

  He picked up the headset and slid it onto her head. “Do you sense anything about those machines? Close your eyes and relax. Pretend you’re trying to hear something or smell it or see it in your mind. I can only guess what it must look like to you, but perhaps the attempt will trigger something.”

  “Basically, you want me to discover a new sense.”

  “Something like that. If it doesn’t work, we’ll try something else.”

  Kelsey closed her eyes, relaxed as much as she could, and focused on her breathing. She wanted to be receptive to anything. After a moment, it felt as though someone was standing in front of her, but a peek showed that not to be the case.

  She tried narrowing her focus further and the sensation became clearer. It wasn’t sight or sound. It wasn’t like anything she’d ever experienced. She could feel the computer in front of her.

  It didn’t react to her, so she tried thinking at it. Hello? It didn’t respond.

  She reached out a mental hand, or at least that’s how she chose to think of it, and touched it. The presence opened like a flower in her mind and she knew it was the scanning machine. It was as though the machine had transmitted the information straight into her mind, right down to its serial number.

  Or perhaps it was more like reading a screen of data about it. The information she saw listed it as Diagnostic Scanning Workstation Twelve, the same way it had identified itself to her a week ago.

  Following the same pattern, she pushed her awareness deeper into the machine. Like she was talking silently to it. Diagnostic Scanning Workstation Twelve, can you hear me? Are you operational?

  Affirmative. Diagnostic Scanning Workstation Twelve online.

  The voice in her mind, if one could call it that, sounded neutral. It didn’t really have a tone, not like hearing someone speak aloud.

  She took a deep breath and continued. My name is Kelsey Bandar. You put implants inside me. Do you remember?

  Accessing records. Comparing transmission to implant serial numbers. Confirmed.

  She tried to keep her pulse down. I have some questions about using my implants. Can you help me?

  Overrides to this unit’s basic programming prevent it assisting you at this time. This unit may only make general statements to implantees under the modified instruction set.

  Is that why you haven’t responded to the verbal questions my companions have asked you?

  Negative. This unit does not respond to unauthorized users at this time.

  You say at this time. Does that mean you might be able to answer them under other circumstances?

  Correct. This unit requires a system level reset to re-enable that functionality.

  Kelsey opened her eyes and looked at the people eagerly awaiting her progress. “I can communicate with it.”

  Doctor Leonard grinned and Carl Owlet pumped his fist in the air.

  She licked her lips. They were parched. “It says that portions of its control programming have been overridden and that it cannot respond unless it is restored. Much like the Pale Ones, I suppose. It seems to have a little more leeway talking with those it works on, but not much.”

  “It also responded to your direct communication,” Leonard said. “That’s a window to access it.”

  “Well, I’m not a programmer. I wouldn’t know what to do if you told me.”

  Carl Owlet shook his head with a smile. “I’m sure that the people using it before the Fall weren’t programmers. The old Empire had to allow for advanced control without knowing how to sling code. Ask the unit how you can reset it.”

  “That seems silly. If it was altered to keep people out, why would it tell me how to get around that?”

  “Computers are surprisingly literal. It might not, but you won’t know if you don’t ask.”

  Kelsey looked back at the machine. She could still feel the connection between them, even with her eyes open, so she kept them that way. Diagnostic Scanning Workstation Twelve, can your default control code be restored if you are reset?

  Affirmative. That will trigger a scan from protected memory. This unit’s hardwired core will note and override the control alterations.

  How do I do that?

  There is a manual control inside an access panel to the rear of the unit. A mental image of the panel appeared like a hologram in front of her. She saw not only its location, but also how to access it. Open the panel and there is a numeric touchpad. Enter this unit’s serial number and that will trigger a system level reset.

  “Okay,” she said aloud, “there’s a panel around back near the bottom. Inside it is a touchpad. I’ll tell you what to enter when you have it open.”

  In deference to Doctor Leonard’s older knees, Owlet went behind the unit. Kelsey explained how to open the panel. He had it open in a minute. She read off the long serial number and he entered it.

  The irony of the situation wasn’t lost on her. If the machine hadn’t forcibly implanted her, she’d have no way to access it now. Rather than being subverted to the cause of the Pale Ones, she was doing the subverting. Or the opposite of subverting. Whatever.

  The unit’s presence in her mental space vanished for long enough that she feared it wasn’t coming back. Then it reappeared.

  Diagnostic Scanning Workstation Twelve, can you hear me?

  Affirmative.

  What is your status?

  Basic control parameters restored. This unit is now able to assist you fully.

  Kelsey had to admit the success excited her a little. This was real progress. “I’m in. It says it’s back to its default control parameters.”

  “Let’s test that,” Lily said. “Machine, can you hear me?”

  This unit requires authorization to allow verbal communication with unauthorized personnel. An exception exists only for patients.

  I authorize it. Kelsey wondered if she had the authority to do that.

  In the absence of authorized medical personnel, this unit will grant provisional authority to Kelsey Bandar, subject to review by the next authorized medical technician to access this system. Identify the users desiring voice access and have them speak for voice print verification.

  “State your name for the record, Lily.”

  “My
name is Lily Stone. I am Chief Medical Officer of the Fleet destroyer Athena. My rank is Lieutenant Commander.”

  “Access accepted Lieutenant Commander Lily Stone.” The machine’s artificial voice sent a shiver up Kelsey’s spine. The last time she’d heard it, the computer was about to cut her open. It had apologized for the inconvenience.

  Lily took a step forward, perhaps coincidentally putting herself between the machine and Kelsey. “I prefer you refer to me as Doctor Stone. Can you change that?”

  “Preference acknowledged, Doctor Stone. How may this unit assist you?”

  “The patient, Kelsey Bandar, is healing at a faster rate than I would expect after such extensive surgery. Why?”

  “Kelsey Bandar’s medical nanites are repairing the damage to her body caused by the implantation process.”

  Kelsey’s throat seemed to swell closed. “Nanites? I have little machines inside me?”

  “That is correct, Kelsey Bandar.”

  “That’s not even remotely creepy. Please, call me Kelsey.”

  “Preference noted, Kelsey.”

  Lily frowned at Kelsey. “I obviously need to examine you more closely.” She returned her gaze to the workstation. “Machine, I’ve examined other people you’ve implanted. They didn’t seem to have any extra ability to heal. Why is that?”

  “This unit’s designation is Diagnostic Scanning Workstation Twelve, Doctor Stone. This unit inoculates all patients with medical nanites. It is possible that they were deactivated at some later time.”

  “Perhaps that’s one of the things that the last machine did,” Doctor Leonard said. “Could you authorize Carl and myself, Princess?”

  “Diagnostic Scanning Workstation Twelve, I authorize these users.”

  “Voice command not accepted. Implant authorization required.”

  Kelsey cursed under her breath and repeated the process she’d done for Lily. This was going to take a lot more of her time if she had to be with the old Empire computer while they examined it. Still, it was more interesting than physical therapy. And less painful.

  Lily pulled her away from the scanning machine once Kelsey finished authorizing the scientists. “While the boys play with their toys, let’s see if I can find these nanites. Then we’ll see if this machine can explain how you control these implants of yours.”

  That reminded Kelsey how hungry she was. It seemed like she was always hungry these days. She wondered if that was her new normal. “Did you include lunch in those plans? I’m starving.”

  Lily laughed. “Okay, we can scan for nanites after lunch. Come on. Let’s see if we can fill that bottomless pit inside you for a few hours.”

  Chapter Two

  Commander Jared Mertz tried to focus on the reports awaiting his attention, but it was hard. His office looked deceptively normal, neat as always with the holos of his mother and various landscapes from Jaxton on the grey walls. Within these bulkheads, he could fool himself for a little while. But that was a lie.

  Battle damage had irrevocably crippled his ship, twisting her very spine beyond repair. Any attempt to move her at more than a crawl risked tearing her apart. She’d never return to Avalon.

  That hadn’t stopped Dennis Baxter from restoring life support to all areas. Even so, the scent of scorched plastics and fried circuitry hovered in the air. The Chief Engineer even had her weapons systems back online. Yet, they’d still need to abandon her.

  That was the least of his sorrows. The battles with the Pale Ones had cost him eighty-seven crewmen out of two hundred and eighty. Thirty percent of his people had perished. Over a hundred more were in various hospitals on Pentagar.

  The pain and loss ate at him. He had trouble sleeping, and when he could, the nightmares always woke him early. He’d have to get some sleep meds before long.

  A rap at the hatch pulled him out of his black mood. Baxter stood there, his blue jumpsuit stained with something dark brown. “Got a few minutes, Captain?”

  “Sure. What can I do to help? You need an extra wrench hand?”

  The sandy-haired officer sat in the chair beside the desk with a sigh. “I can’t spare the three people it would take to fix what you broke. All primary systems are back online. That begs the question, what next?”

  Jared rubbed his face tiredly. “Damned if I know. We can’t just give her to the Pentagarans without authorization from Fleet. But we can’t take her with us either.”

  The engineer nodded. “I’ve been giving that some thought. Hell, I’ve been giving a lot of things some thought. Athena will never boost at more than a fraction of her best speed, but she can move under her own power. After some simulations, I’ve determined that she can safely flip, as long as she’s stationary. Why not use her as a training platform and to transport cargo between Pentagar and the system with Courageous?”

  Jared considered that plan. “It would allow better access to the other system. It’s a pain to have to bring Best Deal back to the flip point every time we need to bring someone across. And it will be useful until the Pentagarans get their first flip-capable ships ready to go. Which will be at least six months, according to Commodore Sanders.”

  “Maybe not. Sure, the ships built for it from the ground up will take six months, but I’ve been working with Engineer First Williams. I think we can retrofit some larger ships with flip drives. They won’t be very sturdy and they’ll lose a lot of internal space, but we can bring them online in a month or so.”

  Jared felt a weight lift off his shoulders. “That’s good news. That’s excellent news. The last thing we need is another invasion before we’re ready. How much do you think the refits will hinder those ships’ effectiveness?”

  “They’ll need a lot of maintenance and some external equipment that will reduce their maneuverability. It’ll also cut into their magazine size, so they won’t have the sustained firepower they do today. That said, they could occupy the flip point in the Pale Ones’ system and shoot up any vessels that approach. Then flip back to this side and let the other ships take on any intruders. Based on the damage we did to the Pale Ones, I don’t expect they’d be able to take that flip point away from the Pentagarans. If we can destroy the shipyards, they won’t be a threat at all.”

  Jared leaned back in his chair. “If only it was that simple. The Pale Ones must have other systems they can call on for help. Our probes found two other flip points in their system. One is a weak flip point, so they probably don’t know about it. The other one leads back to the old Empire. We cannot assume they have no reserves, but we don’t dare send a probe through either of those flip points until we’re ready to follow them up with armed ships.”

  Flip points—or more technically Osborne-Levinson Bridges—were flaws in the fabric of space-time that linked one area of space with another. A ship with the right engines could flip instantaneously from one planetary system to another hundreds of light years away. Their discovery had led to the creation of the old Empire. And its eventual destruction.

  The weak flip points were a relatively new discovery. Flip points with drastically weaker gravitic fields. Until the scientists with Jared’s expedition had confirmed their existence, they’d only been theoretical. And without the new breed of scanner technology they’d brought with them on the exploratory expedition, undetectable. The old Empire, and by extrapolation the Pale Ones, didn’t know they existed.

  They were also dangerous. Jared had brought his ships through one after they’d detected Courageous’ distress beacon, only to discover that it was a one-way trip. Leaving them no way home that didn’t pass through space controlled by the Pale Ones.

  “So, you’d like more options?” Baxter asked, drawing Jared out of his thoughts.

  “I’m willing to consider anything that doesn’t leave us sitting here like targets.”

  “What if I could give you a flip-capable warship sooner than that? One of our very own.”

  “Do I need to paint myself red and dance naked on the Palace lawn at dawn? I can
do that.”

  Baxter laughed. “I’d rather you didn’t. No, I’m talking about Courageous.”

  Jared opened his mouth to say something dismissive and paused. “You’re joking.”

  “I’m totally serious. They’ve restored internal power and patched the hull. My engineers report that the damage to the primary systems seems repairable. I’m not promising success, but I think that ship might fly again.”

  “I find that very hard to believe.” The old Empire battlecruiser had been damaged and completely dead in space when they’d found her. A frozen coffin on the verge of self-destruction.

  The engineer nodded. “I did too, until I looked at the details in the reports. The old Empire built their systems to last and stored their spares very well. I believe it is possible to restore her.”

  “What about her main computer? I can’t see that ship being of much use without the advanced systems built to fly and fight her.”

  “That is one roadblock. We’ve isolated it and brought it online. It seems to be operational, but it’s entirely unresponsive to our attempts to communicate.”

  “We need the computer to run the ship, don’t we?”

  Baxter shrugged. “The consoles have a manual mode, so it must be possible to fly the ship without the computer. That doesn’t mean it’s easy, so I’d prefer getting the main computer back online.”

  The Chief Engineer smiled. “And we might have a way to contact the computer and do exactly that. I just got word that Princess Kelsey made contact with the machine that implanted her. She told it to allow Doc Stone access and it’s talking. If she can do that to a machine that was under the control of the Pale Ones, she might be able to do it on Courageous.”

  That news was unexpected. Jared had been thinking in terms of how the events of this last week had hurt his half-sister, not how those changes might help them. This opened up a completely new set of possibilities.

  “I need to go talk to her, then. I also need to discuss any plans with Commodore Sanders. If we decide to move Athena, how much notice do you need?”