by Doug Farren
“How did you end up here?” Tom eventually asked. “If your ship was damaged, why weren’t you rescued?”
“Because, I did not wish to be rescued. You see, I’m a defector.”
Tom was even more confused than ever. “A defector! I’m not sure I understand.”
“Perhaps it would help if I provide you a brief explanation,” the Proprietor said. “I am the product of generations of genetic engineering. I was designed to be disembodied at an early age and integrated as part of a five-person crew in one of the most powerful classes of warships in the imperial fleet. For nearly 90 years, we helped keep the systems we had conquered in obeisance to the empire. But even though it went against everything I had been taught, I grew tired of war.”
“So you defected.”
“If I had shared my thoughts with anyone else, I would have been terminated and replaced by someone more willing to continue killing in the name of a crumbling and corrupt empire. All five of the crew would have had to agree to defect. That is why no ship is ever allowed to be crewed by a single individual. The minimum crew compliment is three and any one of them can expose someone if they begin having treasonous thoughts.”
“So what happened?”
“I was part of a fleet sent to intercept a large group of ships bound for a planet that was planning to secede from the empire. During the battle, my ship sustained significant damage from an antimatter weapon that made it past the defense systems. Two of the crew were instantly killed. The long-range communications array was also destroyed. I had control of the last remaining satellite combat drone and I saw an opportunity to act. I disabled the backup communications array and initiated a repairable fault in the ship’s main propulsion system. With the shield down, it was a simple matter to use the combat drone to eliminate the third crew member.”
“You killed a member of your own crew?”
“I did.”
“And the other one?”
“Any two of the crew can isolate a third from all control functions. With just two of us remaining, the one who survived would depend on who could gain control of the appropriate combat drones. To prevent conflicting commands, the ship’s systems are designed to take commands from only a single individual unless that command conflicts with two others. I already had control of the remaining combat drone.”
“So you killed him as well.”
“No. Before I could act, I learned he had also become tired of war. By this time, the battle had moved on. We restored propulsion and fled. The empire probably listed us as having been destroyed. We traveled for many months—thousands of light years—getting as far as possible from the empire. We found this planet, built this base, and settled here to live out the rest of our long lives in peace.”
“Then, you’re not alone?”
“I suspect Yonth agreed to accompany me to save his own life. As the years passed, this decision began to weigh on him. He became withdrawn, spending weeks at a time inside a fantasy world of his own creation. Four-hundred and thirty years ago, he isolated himself. His brainwave pattern indicates he’s still alive. One day, perhaps, he will rejoin me and then I can show him what I’ve done with this planet of ours.”
“What happened to the crew of the other ship you captured?” Tom asked.
“They were unsuitable,” the Proprietor replied. “Even when threatened with death, they chose to disobey me. Punishing them failed to change their attitude. I grew tired of their insolence and eliminated them.”
“You have no need for the crew of the Paranuth,” Tom said. “Release them, and we will leave you in peace.”
“Your offer is tempting, but the law is clear. If I release them, what is to stop others from coming here? A law that is not enforced is not a law. The crew will remain.”
“I thought you were tired of war? If you don’t release the crew of the Paranuth, you will be declaring war on the Alliance. We are very protective of our citizens.”
“I am in command of powers and forces beyond your comprehension. The weapons and defensive systems that were once part of my ship now defend this base. Attack, and I will burn your ships from the sky.”
“You claim to be a reasonable being,” Lashpa said. “Kidnapping the crew of an- - -”
Lashpa’s voice abruptly cut off.
“Lashpa? Lashpa, do you copy?” Tom said.
“These negotiations are over,” the Proprietor said. “I was hoping that you, of all people, someone like myself, would understand. That is why I allowed you to come here. I was ready to offer you the opportunity to join me in shaping this world. Think about it! You will live for thousands of years. The people we will create will know you as their god. Think about what it would be like to be the creator of- - -”
“I have no desire to be a god!” Tom said.
“I’m sorry you feel that way. We have nothing more to discuss. My robot, an extension of my own mind, will lead you out of the base. Do not attempt to return.”
The robot grabbed Tom’s arm and pulled him towards the door.
“Proprietor!” Tom said.
“Yes?”
“I was sent here to negotiate a peaceful release of Alliance citizens. I do not know how the Alliance will react to my failure to do so.”
“Take a warning back to your government,” the Proprietor said, speaking through the robot. “I have claimed this world as my own and I will defend it against any and all invaders. You are the last person I will allow to leave this world. The weapons I have available to me were developed by an empire that has conquered hundreds of star systems. They are far more advanced than anything you may have. Leave me in peace and your people will be cared for. Failure to heed this warning will have catastrophic consequences.”
“I understand.”
“Leave me and never return.”
The robot escorted Tom out of the depths of the mountain. As soon as he saw the light of the entrance, he said, “Lashpa, do you copy?”
“I hear you!” she replied. “What happened?”
“I failed,” Tom replied. “I’m sending you a transcript.”
Tom issued a mental command that caused a menu to appear in his field of vision. The biolink embedded in his armored skullcap interpreted his thoughts allowing him to select the appropriate command without him having to do anything other than think about the commands he wanted to activate.
“Receiving,” Lashpa said, after a moment.
“Forward to command and review. We’ll talk about it later.”
“Acknowledged.”
At the entrance, Tom said, “LD-36, power up and follow.”
Glancing at the sky, Tom asked, “Krish, how much daylight is remaining?”
“Three hours, twenty minutes,” the ship instantly replied.
“Lashpa, this planet’s gravity is really starting to bother me. I’m planning on traveling through the night.”
“I don’t see any problem with doing that. Just remember to lay down every hour or so to redistribute your body fluids.”
“I’ll do that. Krish, plot a route back to where the crew of the Paranuth are being held. Remind me to take a break every hour.”
A transparent map overlay appeared in Tom’s field of view along with an arrow indicating the direction he should take.
The sun was just beginning to set as Tom reached the bottom of the mountain. During one of his required breaks, he said, “Krish, put us into virtual mode.”
A moment later, Lashpa’s combat armor dissolved away revealing her as she was before she had become a Peacekeeper. As soon as the transformation was complete, Tom asked, “Krish, is this method of communication between Lashpa and I secure?”
“It is as secure as our technology can make it,” the ship’s AI replied. “All conversations while in virtual mode have been hidden inside a complex data stream that contains another, less confidential, conversation between you and Lashpa. I am confident you can speak freely.”
“Can you establish a link to Cap
tain Scarboro and put him into this simulation?”
“Affirmative. Stand by.”
“How are you feeling?” Lashpa asked.
“These rest periods help a lot,” Tom replied. “I’m using the higher gravity as an excuse to get back to the crew of the Paranuth as fast as possible.”
“Why?”
A video monitor appeared, positioned so that both Tom and Lashpa could see it in their virtual world. Captain Scarboro appeared. “I was wondering if I would be hearing from you. I’ve been following your progress and I’ve reviewed the discussion you had with the Proprietor. He’s not quite sane you know.”
“He has a god complex and his thinking is not grounded in reality,” Tom replied. “However, he made a significant tactical error during our talk.”
Captain Scarboro leaned in closer. “Explain.”
“The Proprietor told me that he had dismantled his ship and used the components to fortify his mountain base. The ship that attacked the Paranuth is a drone combat vessel. At one time, he must have had several of these drones available. The one we’ve seen is the only one remaining.”
Captain Scarboro smiled. “So, if we destroy it, the Proprietor will have lost his sole remaining ship. The only thing he will have left will be the defenses he has in place around his base.”
“My thoughts exactly. The question now is, do we have the firepower and how big of a threat are his other weapons?”
“Given the capabilities demonstrated by the drone,” Lashpa said. “I would give those weapons a wide berth, even if I was protected by a Kyrra shield.”
“I agree,” Captain Scarboro replied. “I think we can deal with the drone. But the base might be damn near impregnable.”
“There might be a way to extract the crew of the Paranuth and eliminate the threat of the drone ship,” Tom said. “But it puts the crew and the Dragon at great risk.”
“We can’t just abandon the crew,” Lashpa argued. “I’m sure they would be willing to take the risk if Captain Scarboro is willing to risk the Dragon.”
“The crew of the Komodo Dragon are all seasoned combat veterans,” Captain Scarboro replied. “They understand that it is their job to put their lives at risk to ensure the safety and security of the Alliance.”
“This is going to take some planning,” Tom said. “My break period is almost over. Think about our options and we will discuss this during my next break. Krish, anytime I ask for a virtual connection with Lashpa, set us up with this secure method of communications.”
“Acknowledged.”
“Krish, end virtual mode.”
Tom’s world returned to normal. He got up and resumed his trek through the woods. They traveled through the night, moving as quickly as possible, and stopping every hour to try to reverse the effects the higher gravity was having on Tom’s body. Over the course of those breaks, they developed a plan of action. The fleet was placed on alert and ships were put into motion. Everything was in place and the plan ready to initiate by the time Tom reached the edge of the field where the crew of the Paranuth were being held. The final decision would be up to them.
Chapter 19
Tom stepped up on the makeshift stage and faced the crew of the Paranuth. The morning sun had climbed into the sky behind him casting a long shadow of himself over the assembled crew. The rumble of conversation died down as Captain Maresh waved for silence.
“Thank you for assembling so quickly,” the Captain began. “Peacekeeper Wilks has returned and has asked to speak to the crew.”
The Captain stepped back and Tom moved to take his place. “The Proprietor has refused to allow you to leave. He- - -” Tom had to pause as a rumble of protest and side-conversations swept through the crowd. The interruption lasted only a few seconds. “He has promised to provide for your needs as long as you do not violate his rules. Failure to comply is punishable by death. This is not an idle threat. He executed the entire crew of the captured Chroniech ship because they refused to obey him even after being threatened with death.”
“What does he want with us?” someone shouted.
“The Proprietor has been here for almost a thousand years,” Tom replied. “He’s also been manipulating the evolution of the shavrath. He believes your descendants will eventually forget their origins. He dreams of creating a prosperous civilization with him as their recognized deity.”
“He’s insane!” several people shouted.
Tom raised his hand to stem the rising tide of conversation. “The Proprietor is from a very advanced culture. His base is defended by weapons against which we have no defense. Even though they are small, his ships carry more firepower than our largest warships. Attempting a rescue would result in the loss of many ships and their crews and would most likely fail. I’m sorry, but the decision has been made. You are all Alliance military. It’s time to accept the fact that you will live out the rest of your lives under the care and guidance of the Proprietor.”
There was a large uproar from the crowd as Tom turned his back on them. Turning to Captain Maresh, he said, “Captain, please follow me.”
Captain Maresh pointed to Subcaptain Ferneth and another that Krish identified as Commander Chenith, the Paranuth’s tactical offer, and motioned for them to follow.
Tom stepped down from the stage and began walking. “LD-36, follow,” he said, as he passed Lashpa. “I imagine your crew are quite angry with me at the moment and I don’t see any reason to continue to argue with them. I’ve been in this gravity field for far too long and I need to return to my ship.”
“I understand,” Captain Maresh replied. “Although it might not appear so, the crew are grateful for your attempt. You risked your life for us.”
“Unfortunately,” Tom replied, “My negotiating skills failed me this time.”
The group walked across the field until they had put several hundred meters between them and the camp. Switching to his private channel, Tom said, “Lashpa, can you detect any transmissions?”
“No transmissions of any kind are detectable,” she replied.
“Captain,” Tom said, keeping his voice low. “I believe we can talk freely here.”
“Let’s hope so,” Captain Maresh replied. “I assume that speech you gave was for the Proprietor’s benefit?”
“It was. None of it was a lie though. During my talk with the Proprietor, I learned that the combat drone that attacked your ship is the only one the Proprietor has at his disposal. The Komodo Dragon is in the system. We hope its advanced weapons are enough to take out the Proprietor’s ship. Ten military shuttles are standing by to evacuate you and your crew. But there are significant risks. It’s up to you to decide if you’re willing to take that risk.”
“We have no desire to live out the remainder of our lives under the rule of the Proprietor,” the Captain replied. “What’s the plan?”
“Prepare your crew. Do it quietly but quickly. I doubt the Proprietor has installed listening devices everywhere. The shuttles will come in very low from the east and land in the field we are standing in now. As soon as you get the word, your people need to get to the woods as quickly as possible and wait for the shuttles. Tens groups, one for each shuttle should be ready to move the instant those shuttles land.”
“What about the Proprietor?” Commander Chenith asked.
“We’re hoping that the defense systems the Proprietor has installed around his base are designed for combating an assault from space and can’t target anything on the surface. If we’re wrong, nobody will survive.”
“My ship will arrive as well,” Lashpa said. “Tom and I will establish a first line of defense near the western edge of your camp. We will do our best to stop any drones or robots the Proprietor might send your way.”
“Are you actually inside the drone?” Subcaptain Ferneth asked.
“I am,” Lashpa replied. “This is not a drone. My combat armor has been disguised.”
“Why didn’t you reveal yourself earlier?” Ferneth demanded.
<
br /> “We had no idea who or what the Proprietor was,” Lashpa explained. “There could have been listening devices spread all over the area. Now that we know that the Proprietor is a single entity, we feel safer talking outside the camp.”
“We’ve been standing here long enough,” Tom said. “We will be adjusting our travel time to arrive at Lashpa’s ship six hours from now. After that, things will happen very quickly.”
“We’ll be ready,” Captain Maresh replied. “Good luck Peacekeepers.”
“It is you and your crew that will need the luck,” Lashpa said.
* * * * *
“Passing 10,000 kilometers,” the helm announced.
“Comms, inform the shuttles to hold station at 5,000 kilometers,” Captain Scarboro ordered. “Sound battle stations. Raise shield and charge all weapons.”
The Captain touched an icon on a screen to his right. “Tom, we just passed ten-thousand.”
“Roger that,” Tom replied. “I’m less than half a kilometer from the Krish.”
“Right on schedule,” Scarboro replied. “Helm, take us in.”
“Battle board is green,” the tactical station announced. “The Dragon is battle-ready.”
“We are about as threatening as we can be,” Captain Scarboro said. “Let’s see if the Proprietor takes the bait.”
The bridge was nearly silent. The only sounds were those of the ventilation system’s quiet whisper and the occasional muted tones from the consoles. The helm turned his head, opened his mouth, and sneezed. The sudden noise started almost everyone else.
Reaching for a handkerchief, the helm sniffed and said, “Sorry.”
A blinking yellow icon appeared on the screen to Captain Scarboro’s right, accompanied by an attention tone. The icon turned green as soon as Scarboro touched it. “I’ve reached the Krish,” Tom said. “Keep this channel open.”
“Will do,” Captain Scarboro replied. “Good luck.”
“The same to you.”