by Sarah Noffke
Harley kept growling softly at the Lieutenant. Aboard Ricky Bobby Fletcher had taken a hands-on approach, helping with crew assignments and workflow. Jack may have been right that he would make a good choice for XO. This battle might be the time to tell them.
Fletcher had combat experience and was a respected leader, but the hardest thing for soldiers to do in battle was exactly what he and Julianna were doing—manage the battle from a strategic level, leaving the tactics to those engaged on the front lines. She would have loved to fly into battle alongside Eddie, but there were too many unknowns with the new ship and having a bird’s-eye view was crucial for a battle of this magnitude.
The battlecruiser jerked violently under a fresh barrage. Alarms echoed throughout the ship.
“Ricky Bobby, status?” Julianna called, gripping the radar table for support.
“A flight of Stingrays snuck through our defenses on the starboard side. The missiles are keeping them back, but not targeting them well enough for complete protection,” Ricky Bobby said.
“Damn it, can we get some railguns already?” Julianna said, gritting her teeth.
“I might know a guy,” Fletcher said with a wink.
“Make sure we survive this battle so you can call your contact in time for the next. I’m tired of eating bullets because we’re the Federation’s secret squadron.” Julianna paced back and forth in front of the radar table, watching as the Black Eagles deployed from Ricky Bobby. “Come on, Eddie—get those fuckers off our tail.”
~~~
The Black Eagles streaked into the void of space with Eddie in the lead. It felt good to be back in the pilot’s seat, cruising in the direction of a bunch of Stingrays. Most could appreciate the adrenaline rush, but for Eddie it was more. Each battle he fought was an attempt to come back to himself. Trying to make amends for what he’d done—or really, what he hadn’t done.
“Carnivore, I’d like to make this fish fry happen as fast and efficient as possible,” Eddie said over the comm.
“Copy that, Blackbeard,” Lars responded.
Behind the Kezzin pilot were three other Black Eagles. Lone Wolf, Escrema, and Trapeze were their best pilots, and at the moment the only ones prepared for this level of combat. Recruitment efforts had taken a backseat to renovations.
“Lone Wolf and Escrema, take the Stingrays that have broken through defenses on starboard,” Eddie ordered.
“Yes, sir,” the pilots said in unison.
“Trapeze, you come with us. Let’s go after that school of fish ahead,” Eddie said, speeding in the direction of a dozen Stingrays flying in formation.
Eddie pulled in a long, steadying breath and fired a barrage of bullets at the enemy ships. He swerved between two Stingrays trying to box him in, banking hard and whipping the ship around.
“Fuck yeah, baby! Feels good to be back in action,” he roared. He sped after the two Stingrays, intent on teaching them a lesson.
~~~
“They’re outnumbered,” Fletcher observed, leaning over the radar table.
Julianna balled her fists, squeezing tightly. “That shouldn’t be a problem. Our ships are faster and better equipped.”
“Yes, but the Stingrays have enhanced maneuverability, according to what I discovered in both Felix’s records and Dr. Hatcherik’s notes on the ships,” Ricky Bobby stated.
“Keep searching. Maybe there’s something else we can use.”
“Damn, these fuckers just keep coming.” Eddie said over the comm, breathing deeply. “What did Felix do to piss them off so badly?”
“Blackbeard,” Julianna began. “You have three Stingrays on your tail. I hope you have a strategy for faking them out.” She watched as the radar model of the Black Eagle swung one way and then the other, narrowly avoiding enemy fire.
“I’d like to say I have a brilliant plan, but I’m running out of ideas,” Eddie said as three more Stingrays dropped on him.
“Damn it! I’m going in there,” Julianna said, but stayed frozen. “Pip can fly another Q-Ship.” She knew she should stay here to command, but it was growing increasingly difficult. Follow your instincts, she told herself.
“Or we pull out altogether and risk gating,” Fletcher offered.
It wasn’t a bad solution, except that Julianna hated to run. It meant that you kept running until caught. She preferred to conquer her enemy or send them fleeing. “There’s got to be a way to make them tuck tail,” she mused.
Harley barked loudly, making Julianna start. She chanced a glance at the dog.
“Seriously, you chase your own tail but suddenly you understand English?” she said to the dog, and he whimpered slightly.
“Lone Wolf here. We cleared most of the Stingrays from starboard. Escrema is staying back, but I think I can offer relief,” the pilot said over the comm.
“Get in there, Lone Wolf. We don’t have much more time,” Julianna ordered over the comm.
“The shields on Ricky Bobby appear to be holding, so even if the Stingrays continue their assaults on that side we should be okay,” Fletcher offered.
“Good point. The best part of this inherited ship is the shields,” Julianna commented. She remembered the first time that she’d encountered one of Felix’s smaller transport ships that had these shields. Its attacks had been relentless, and yet had no effect. Currently though, with the overhaul in place, Ricky Bobby was in a vulnerable state and the shields weren’t at a hundred percent.
“Escrema, abandon starboard attack and aid the others,” Julianna ordered. They could take a few hits, but the Black Eagles were overwhelmed.
“I think I’ve found something,” Ricky Bobby announced.
“What is it?” Julianna asked urgently.
“It appears that Felix was prepared for an attack of just this sort,” Ricky Bobby explained. “He apparently knew the Trids were close to waging war on him, and his scientists developed a weapon specific to the Stingrays.”
Julianna scanned the radar, her frustration mounting at the sheer number of Stingrays that kept appearing.
“You see, Stingray technology is based on—”
“Science lesson later, Ricky Bobby. We need the solution pronto,” Julianna urged.
“It appears to be untested, but Felix had developed an antielectrogravitic pulse,” Ricky Bobby said. “If my findings are correct, the weapon has one good shot in it, which will freeze the engines of every single Stingray in the vicinity.”
“So they’d stop flying?” Julianna said, hope suddenly springing to her chest.
“Yes. They would be immobilized for approximately thirty seconds,” Ricky Bobby said.
“And our own ships?” Julianna asked.
“They’ll be unaffected. Their engines run on a different technology,” Ricky Bobby informed her.
“Good decision, leaving the Stingray docked,” Fletcher said, giving her a proud smile.
Julianna nodded. Although they didn’t know if this plan was solid—she had hope. “You said it was untested?”
“Yes. According to what I could find, Felix’s ship hadn’t had an opportunity to test it, since that would have involved having many Stingrays in close proximity,” Ricky Bobby stated.
“And they used to be allies before Felix somehow screwed them,” Julianna said, pressing the button to open the comm. “Blackbeard, we might have a solution for you. We’re sending out a pulse that should immobilize the Stingrays.”
“Fuck yeah! That’s the best news all day,” Eddie said through a ragged breath. He’d taken a few hits from what Julianna had seen, but his engines appeared to be nominal.
“You and your Eagles will have thirty seconds to get in there and get out. Got it?” Julianna asked.
“Copy that, Commander,” Eddie said, his voice lightening.
“Ricky Bobby, send out the pulse on my command,” Julianna said.
“Yes, Jules,” Ricky Bobby agreed.
“Pilots, I think it would be best to feign a retreat,” Julianna said over
the comm. “Make them think they’ve won so they’ll be more relaxed when we turn the tables. And their guns will still work, so you’ll have to use stealth to your advantage.”
“Copy that, Strong Arm,” Eddie confirmed.
Julianna and Fletcher watched on the radar as the Black Eagles headed back toward the ship. The Stingrays hesitated momentarily.
“Ricky Bobby, send out pulse in three, two, and one,” Julianna ordered.
“Antielectrogravitic pulse sent,” Ricky Bobby said.
Julianna held her breath, anxiously watching the radar. The Black Eagles continued their retreat and the Stingrays hovered in place—and then began to fall out of formation one by one, the way a ship does when experiencing engine failure.
“The pulse was successful,” Julianna said over the comm. “Get in there and do some damage. I want you all out of there in twenty seconds.” That would give the Black Eagles sufficient time to return to the landing bay, offering them the protection they needed after a battle like this. Space combat was unique, in that it couldn’t go on for too long before casualties were inevitable. There were too many dangerous variables.
“Ricky Bobby, send a message to our friends the Trids,” Julianna said. “Tell them that this ship is no longer the Unsurpassed, and Felix Castile is dead. They can continue to attack and make enemies of us, but we have not asked for a war.”
“Who shall I say the message is from?” Ricky Bobby asked.
“Tell them it’s from Ghost Squadron,” Julianna stated with pride. She watched the radar as the Black Eagles returned and the Stingrays that hadn’t been demolished rose into formation, their engines back online. The Trids they’d left alive retreated. Julianna hadn’t wanted to strike such a hard blow to her enemy’s enemy, but they’d left her no choice.
CHAPTER SIX
Hatch’s Lab, Ricky Bobby, Tangki System
Eddie admired the 1976 Cadillac Fleetwood Sixty Special Talisman as they entered Hatch’s new lab area. It was more of a dedicated space than the cargo bay he’d worked in on ArchAngel, and currently it was filled with rows of classic cars which seemed to overwhelm the space.
Eddie leaned down and stared through the window at the impressive interior of the car. He’d never seen so much crushed velvet and polished wood inside a vehicle.
“Can we redo the interior of my Q-Ship to match this?” Eddie asked.
“That’s the most sensible request you’ve made of me in a long time,” Hatch called from the lab table where he was fiddling with a device that looked like high-tech goggles.
“My question is,” Julianna began, looking around at the large yet cramped space, “how are you able to work on ship upgrades with all these vehicles in here?”
“Julie, you know I like you. Don’t make me change my mind about that,” Hatch said, no real annoyance in his voice.
“Meanwhile, I look at Hatch the wrong way and he writes me off for eternity,” Eddie said with a laugh.
“That’s because you’re an idiot,” Hatch replied, holding up the goggles and peering through them. They magnified his face, making his bulging eyes look even bigger. “And to answer your question, I think I’m working just fine, and it’s probably because I have the company of my cars. They’ve been spread out in different places throughout the galaxy, but when we moved onto Ricky Bobby I figured they should all come together.”
“Does that mean you’ve found your forever home?” Eddie teased. Knox secretly shot him a sideways grin and nodded from behind Hatch’s back.
“I saw that, Gunner,” Hatch chided at once, lowering the goggles.
Knox’s eyes widened in sudden shock.
“Damn, do you have eyes in the back of your head?” Eddie asked, impressed.
“No, but those goggles have mirror technology,” Pip said from overhead.
“Pip, what are you doing in here?” Julianna asked, looking confused.
“Oh, hi, Jules. It’s been a while, hasn’t it?” Pip said, sounding like he was taunting her. “Hatch missed me, so he interfaced me with his lab.”
“What? Oh…” Julianna covered her forehead with her hand.
“Yes, he missed me. It felt good to be mi—”
Julianna cut Pip off. “Would you shut it?”
“See? She’s always trying to silence me,” Pip complained.
Hatch waddled over carrying the goggles. “It didn’t take long to connect Pip to my lab. I assure you it didn’t detract from any of my other projects.”
“It’s totally fine.” Eddie offered the mechanic a sympathetic smile. “Actually, Jules and I have been talking and we do think that your workload—even for you—is too much. We’d like your focus to remain on the really special projects.”
“Which means?” The pointed stare Hatch gave him wasn’t the look of relief Eddie had expected.
“We were thinking of hiring a Chief Engineer,” Eddie said. “Someone to oversee the ship’s maintenance.”
All of Hatch’s tentacles launched into the air and began flapping around wildly. “Because you think that I can’t handle ship repairs and—”
Julianna waved her arms in front of Hatch, trying to calm him. “That’s not it at all. It’s just that Ricky Bobby needs a lot of work, and it would monopolize your time when you’re already trying to manage the crew and build new ships. We’re asking too much of you.”
Hatch immediately softened, his cheeks puffing out. “It is a lot, and both the ship and special projects should be a priority.” He held up the goggles as if in validation of his point.
“Let’s just think on it. If it’s something you want, then Jack has some applicants. You can help advise us,” Eddie stated.
This didn’t endear him to Hatch at all, only earned him a contemptuous glare.
“Hatch is going to build me a body,” Pip said.
“He’s what?” Julianna asked, shocked.
“Not right now,” Hatch said at once, looking embarrassed. “It was just an idea we had. Something for the future—a droid of sorts. Something he has control over.”
“Or what about the idea of giving him super-control over his host’s body?” Knox blurted out.
The three turned to the young mechanic at once. He dropped the tool in his hand, and a look of shame sprang to his face. “Sorry. It was just a random idea I had. Really stupid. I won’t interrupt again.”
“More like brilliant…or rather satisfactory,” Hatch said, correcting himself.
Knox’s normally pale face flushed pink.
“What do you think?” Hatch asked, looking at Julianna. “What if Pip had control over your body? He might be able to enhance your movements during battle, taking into account specific factors for jumping, running, et cetera. It would be purely for emergency purposes. A failsafe, if you would.”
Julianna didn’t hesitate. “Hell no.”
“If you were incapacitated in an emergency, then—”
“There’s no way I’m giving him control,” Julianna cut Hatch off. “He’ll have me eating rice cakes and vegan hotdogs.”
“They’re delicious, Julianna,” Pip teased.
“How would you know?” she spat at her AI.
“I don’t, but I would if you’d let me take control. Think of it as ‘autopilot mode.’ That way you can go to sleep, and I can keep us working,” Pip said.
Adamantly she shook her head. “No. I’ll wake up wearing makeup and high heels.”
“I’ve always wanted to know how you’d look in something fancy,” Pip mused.
“Get your own body,” she shot back.
“I’d do it,” Eddie said quickly. Hatch and Julianna stared at him with different levels of disbelief on their faces. Julianna’s expression was more of a look of horror.
“Ding! Ding! Ding!” Pip yelled. “We have a winner.”
“Eddie, are you sure?” Hatch asked, but before he could answer Julianna interrupted.
“No.” Everyone turned to look at her. “I mean, there’s no way that it wou
ld work. An AI can’t control their host.”
“I would have to develop the technology, but I do think it’s possible,” Hatch said. “I just never thought about the idea before.” He gave Knox an unreadable look.
“Well, if you create the tech and Julianna is okay with sharing Pip, I’d be down for such an upgrade,” Eddie stated with a broad smile on his face. He’d been warming to the idea of having an AI in his head. He’d thought about it often since being upgraded. He looked at Julianna with a question in his eyes. “What do you think?”
“Yeah, I don’t care. Why would I?” Julianna stated flatly, but turned abruptly to look at one of the nearest cars—a blue 1966 Corvette convertible.
“This is all just conjecture right now.” Hatch threw a tentacle in the air and waved it around, “since I’d have to develop the technology. But it does make another good argument for recruiting a Chief Engineer. I can’t be expected to do everything, and Gunner is only one man.”
Hatch stated that last part as if he wasn’t. The Londil did seem to do the work of four.
~~~
Eddie cleared his throat. “Okay, all that aside for now, we’ve come to discuss these classified Federation storage facilities and their contents.”
Julianna was grateful for the change of topic. Pip in Eddie’s head, and able to control his body? The ideas were insane, and yet she didn’t have a good reason to oppose the notions. Pip was her AI and maybe she didn’t want to share him. Maybe she was afraid of how it would blur the boundaries. There were too many things about the idea that bothered her indirectly. She turned away from the car she’d been pretending to inspect and rejoined the conversation.
“We have the locations of the two different facilities,” Julianna began, “but we were hoping you could tell us what’s inside them. That will help us to determine which one to search first for the Saverus.”
“Why not put eyes on both facilities?” Knox asked, and again he looked down immediately after cutting in as if ashamed of his outburst.
He was full of good questions today, although his first had almost earned him a punch in the face from Julianna. Pip controlling her body…the idea was so strange.