Stealing Endeavour: Book 1 of the Forever Endeavour, Amen Trilogy

by Martin Tays

  Leo hit the retros, hard, and the shuttle shuddered to a halt only a few meters from the front of the throne. Well, from where the throne had been ― it was now sticking out of the back wall over Moses’ head.

  Moses glanced back at the still quivering throne, then sat up to look gingerly over the edge of the platform. The forward hatch was already open and the ramp unfolding. Leo was gesticulating frantically from the pilot’s seat. Moses looked over at Ami and continued, in a dazed and conversational tone of voice. “Now tits doesn’t even belong on the list. It’s such a friendly sounding word…”

  “Moses, you’re babbling.”

  “Right. Sorry.” He turned toward the Emperor, who was solemnly regarding the embedded remains of his throne. “Are you okay?” Then, realizing that the Emperor couldn’t understand him he asked again, in a louder tone of voice. “ARE. YOU. OKAY?”

  Ami blinked noisily, then just shook her head and moved on. The Emperor looked back at him, levelly, then rose on his hindfeet and delicately brushed himself off. Moses stood himself and looked back at the alcove, where the remainder of his people, the guards and S’Nhu-gli were emerging. Everyone seemed okay, if a bit dazed. He looked back around at the room. “Huh. Good thing the room’s made of stone.”

  And he was right. Everything flammable in the room was now cheerfully alight. He stepped up onto the platform, careful of his bare feet, and walked across toward the shuttle.

  At his gesture, the crew of humans started moving. Leo, standing at the top of the now unfolded gangway, watched them approach. “Wait a minute! Everyone! STOP!” He suddenly shouted. Everyone froze. He ducked back inside and emerged with a camera, snapping off a half dozen quick frames. “Okay, you can board now. I just didn’t think I’d have another chance to catch you all naked, again.”

  Moses looked over to Ami, who’d climbed onto the platform beside him. “I’m gonna kill him.”

  She shook her head. “He’s rescuing us. I’m gonna kiss him. Then I’m gonna kill him.”

  “Fair enough.” He replied.

  Doug was over at the pile of ash that used to be their clothing and equipment. He caught Moses’ eye and came over, shaking his head. “You know, when that thing came through the door?” He said, pointing toward the shuttle. “It was the first time in my life I’ve been glad I wasn’t wearing pants in public.”

  Moses cocked an eyebrow at him. “I’ll bite. Why?”

  “Nothing to soil.”

  “TMI, dude. TMI.” He turned to S’Nhu-gli as Doug grabbed Fiona’s hand and headed for the gangway. “Tell him he’s got to let us get out of here alive.”

  The priest regarded him for a moment, then turned to look the Emperor in the eye as Moses grabbed Ami’s hand in turn and ran for the shuttle. “Sire. They…” He pointed toward the fleeing couple. “He… saved your life.”

  “I know.”

  “They must return to their ship.”

  “I know.”

  “I must go with them.”

  “I know.” The Emperor considered the group entering the shuttle, and turned back to the priest. “Lord S’Nhu-gli?”

  “Sire?”

  “The future of our people is in your grasp.”

  S’Nhu-gli looked over toward the shuttle and the humans clustered around it. “I know, Sire. I know.” There was nothing else to say. He regarded the Emperor for a long moment, then turned to join the humaans.

  ☼

  All the crew were on board, but the hatch was still open. As S’Nhu-gli came up the ramp Moses turned to Leo. “See? Told you he’d come.”

  “Great. Now can we leave?”

  “Oh, Lordy, yes. I think that’d be a dandy fucking idea.” Moses replied as he grabbed the priest and pulled him into the shuttle. “S’Nhu-gli? Tell your boss to duck.”

  The priest stepped out of the way as Leo pulled the hatch shut and looked over at Moses. “Again with the ducks. I do not understand.”

  “Doesn’t matter. It looks like he’s cleared out.”

  S’Nhu-gli looked at the monitor by the door. Sure enough, the throne room was deserted. He turned back toward the passenger compartment as Moses and Leo moved forward. “Make sure everyone’s strapped in.” Moses tossed back over his shoulder as they entered the small bridge of the shuttle.

  He turned back toward the rear of the shuttle. All of the humans were now seated and had their lap belts secured. He looked around uncertainly.

  “Over here!” Ami was sitting beside Mattie. They had the armrest up between them and Ami was patting her lap urgently. “Best we can do!”

  S’Nhu-gli blinked. Then he felt the shuttle start to move. He bolted over and quickly but cautiously climbed up into their laps, laying down across them. Ami and Mattie both wrapped their arms securely around him just as the shuttle started accelerating.

  Through the windows the scorched walls of the entryway corridor blurred past, to be replaced by daylight. The shuttle tilted back and screamed for space, and S’Nhu-gli hung on for dear life.

  Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, the acceleration eased off as the small craft attained orbital velocity. S’Nhu-gli began to believe that they might just survive.

  Ami breathed a sigh of relief, partially smothering the priest. He reached up and gingerly lifted the breast off of his face. “Friend A’Hmee… I’m certain that, were I of your species, I’d be delighted by this. But…”

  “Oh! Crap! Sorry!” She let go of the priest, along with a laughing Mattie. She unlatched her safety belt and pushed off toward the front of the ship. Suddenly, she paused, reached out, grabbed the surprised priest and pulled him close to kiss the end of his muzzle. She smiled at the expression on his face. “Thank you for being a gentleman, friend S’Nhu-gli.”

  He watched her spin and lithely move off toward the bridge, then turned to Mattie. “Is she typical of your females?”

  Mattie smiled. “No. No, that one’s special.”

  “Oh? Pity.”

  “Hey! I’m special, too.”

  S’Nhu-gli considered her carefully before replying. “Friend M’Hattie, I believe that you are wrong.”

  Mattie slowly turned and stared at him from under lowered brows. “Excuse me?”

  The priest looked around the compartment at the naked, filthy humans, then back toward the dark girl. “I believe that you, and A’Hmee, and M’Hoses, and all your friends are exemplary of your species.” He turned back to her, nodding solemnly. “And I find great comfort in that.”

  “Ah. Oh!” Mattie looked over at S’Nhu-gli. “Sweetie pie, if you had a human face I’d kiss it.”

  “Perhaps we should just shake on it, yes?”

  “Yes.” Mattie wiped her soot encrusted hand on her bare thigh and solemnly shook the priest’s forepaw.

  ☼

  “Should I be naked too?”

  Sher moved back from the entry to allow the group to move into the docking area. Moses looked over at the overexposed and disheveled crowd and back to Sher. “Obviously, you’ve never been to a nudist colony. Since you’re dressed, you’re now officially the sexiest person here.”

  “Oh. Go me, I guess. Should I ask exactly why you’re all…?”

  “No.” Moses replied quickly, shaking his head. “Never. And tell Leo I want copies of the pictures.”

  “Ri-ight…”

  Moses turned to the group. “Battle stations, people. We need to get moving, and we need to get moving now.”

  “Gotcha.” Cath said, as she moved toward the front of the group.

  “Careful, Cath, it’s cold in here. You’ll put someone’s eye out.”

  “Oh, har-de-har, fucker.” She pushed off toward engineering. At Moses’ gesture, Leo joined her.

  Moses turned and pointed toward each person
as he gave instructions. “Mattie? Helm. Sandar? Give us an intercept course, and quit blushing. We’ve seen you naked. Sher? Doug? Fi? I want every airtight door shut. Secure us for rough maneuvering. Doc? Prep for casualties.” He paused, considering Smith as he hung by the bulkhead. “I didn’t know you had a tattoo. Cool.” Turning. “Ami? With me.”

  “Always.”

  “You’re cute. You know that?”

  “Later, lover boy. Later.”

  “Right.”

  As the room emptied, Ami pushed herself over toward Moses. She bounced, a bit, then wrapped her legs around him and hugged him as tightly as she could.

  “Hey! Hey, hey. It’s okay.” Moses made ineffectual noises as he stroked her hair.

  “Sorry. I love you.”

  “I know.” Moses replied, kissing her forehead. “We’re still naked, by the way.”

  “Yeah, I noticed.” She replied, grinning. “Damn, boy, down!”

  “Sorry. Primate response.” He pulled back and smiled into her face. “Why don’t we go save the world?”

  “Yay! And…” She pushed off and pointed back. “Save that for later.”

  Moses hung back for a moment, staring after her as she quickly made her way toward the control module. After a long moment, he sighed. “Damn it.” He then pushed off to follow, muttering angrily to himself. “I love you. I love you. I love you…”

  “Did you know there are still people down there frozen? Massive brain tumors, or those folk who wanted to be frozen ― no matter what ― so they pretty much just preserved a bucket and a sponge. People that there is just no chance of recovering a personality for.

  Is it wrong to leave them? I don’t know. I don’t know if it’s cruel or kind for them to come back remembering one thing in ten from their past lives.

  But then I’ve never been dead.”

  J C Harringer, from “A Brief History Of Immortality”

  Chapter 27

  “The deepest definition of youth is life as yet untouched by tragedy.”

  Alfred North Whitehead

  “How much of a lead do they have on us?”

  Mattie checked a readout and turned from the helm. “looks to be about… six hours, at their speed. Once we get the engines on line we should be able to pass the warship in about forty five minutes and reach the newcomer at least a couple of days before ‘em.”

  “Good.” He replied, nodding. “I don’t like the idea of the General calling them out before we can get there.”

  “Um, Moses?” Ami asked.

  “Yeah?”

  She pointed at the image of the warship on the large vid window at the front of the bridge, then turned back toward him. “Once we get there…” She asked, concern in her voice. “What are we going to do?”

  “I have no idea.”

  “Ah.”

  Moses scrubbed his face, then looked around the bridge. “I’m open to suggestion, though.”

  A small vid window popped up to the side of the command chair, an agitated Cath looking out. “Main engines at your command, Moses. Go for it.”

  “Thanks, Cath.” He turned toward Mattie. “Ten second warning, then full emergency boost.”

  “Check. Shipwide.” Mattie turned back toward the helm and began rapidly sequencing commands into the buffer as she continued speaking. “Ten seconds to a kick in the ass, people. Brace yourselves. Shipwide out.”

  “Nicely put.” Moses replied. “Very succinct.”

  “We aim to please. Main engines in three… two… one… now.”

  Acceleration hit the occupants of the bridge like a brick as Mattie firewalled the engines. The structure of the ship thrummed as the consumed antimatter poured delta-v into the Endeavour in a desperate attempt to overtake the warship.

  It required a bit of effort, but Moses managed to turn his head to regard the other occupants of the bridge. Mattie, pressed back into the helm seat, looked angry and resolute. Ami, buckled in at the life control station, looked determined. Sandar, at the nav station, mainly ― and understandably ― just looked scared.

  Moses smiled. It occurred to him that he’d never worked with a better crew. “O-o-o-kayyyy… llllookss likke we’vvvve sommme timmme t-t-t-ooo k-k-kill. I ssssspy, wwwith m-m-my littttle eyyyye, sommmethinggg stttartingg w-w-wittth aaa ‘Buh-buh-beee’.”

  Ami carefully turned her head to regard Moses. “I-i-ifff-fu-fuh th-the annn-an-suh-suh-surrr i-is buh-buh-boobies I-I-I wuh-will kuh-kuh-kill yu-you.”

  “Um... buh-bulk-huh-huh-head. It wuh-was buh-buh-bulkhead.”

  “Suh-s-sssure...”

  ☼

  “This is, hands down, the most insane thing I’ve ever done in my life.”

  Madeline grinned. “Then you need to get out more, sugar.”

  The lean security operative looked up from the opened panel and shook her head. “I’ve figured it out. It’s Dunn, isn’t it? Everyone he touches goes crazy.”

  Mad glanced over at her, then turned back toward the panel and yanked a wire loose as she replied. “Moses Dunn is an enigma, girl. Wrapped around a bottle of rum and country fried. And when push comes to shove, you’ll never find a better man to have at your back. So you’d best be very careful what you say about him around me.”

  Sam replaced the circuit module she’d been working on, wiped her face, and closed the panel door. “Are you sure Rafe’s going to survive this?”

  “Nope. It’s got to be, hands down, the most insane thing I’ve ever done in my life.” She looked over her shoulder and asked “How old are you, kid?”

  “Me?” Sam stopped and thought. “I’m eighty… um, eighty four come November. Why?”

  “Good. Rafe always liked ‘em young. If he survives this, you should have a big reward coming your way.” She winked. “And trust me, I know. When I say it’s a big reward, I mean it’s a big reward.”

  “Oh, good Lord.” Sam replied. “You are the most classless human being I have ever met in my life.”

  “It’s a pity my Uncle Ben isn’t around any more, then. You’d like him. He died of an STD.” Mad waggled her eyebrows theatrically. “Sheep Transmitted Disease.”

  “That’s it. I’m off mutton for life.”

  Madeline snorted. “Okay, point to you. Time to call your lover boy.” She gestured toward the wall mounted comm.

  Sam pushed over to the comm panel, then turned back to Mad. “Are you sure everyone’s out of the ring?”

  “Everyone except Rafe and his two guard dogs.”

  “I don’t like doing this.”

  The stocky engineer regarded Sam levelly for a moment, then nodded. “Good. You’re about to kill two human beings. There should be no ‘like’ involved. Personally, I plan to throw up afterward.”

  “Yeah. Me too.” She turned back to the comm and keyed it. “Rafe? Rafe, are you there? It’s Sam.”

  There was a long moment of silence, then a vid window popped up over the comm panel. Rafe glared out at her. “So.” He finally growled. “What the hell do you want?”

  “Shut up, Rafe.” Mad said as she pushed over in front of the window. “You ass.”

  “Mad? Damn it, Mad, she arrested me!”

  “Quit being petulant. She didn’t have a choice.” She glanced over at Sam, then back to the screen. “It was the only way she could avoid being arrested, herself. And you know it.”

  “Yeah?” Rafe glared at Sam, then at Mad. Finally, the look on his face softened. “Yeah. You’re right, I guess.” He snorted. “And you’re never going to let me forget that, either, are you?”

  “Nope!” Mad replied cheerfully. “We don’t have time for this now, though. Your bunk’s on the upturn side, isn’t it?”

  “Um, yeah. Why?”

  “Put the mattress on t
he wall, climb in, flatten yourself against it, and pray.”

  “What the…” He paused, then blanched. “Oh, shit…”

  “Bye, sweetie. See you in a minute.” Madeline killed the connection, then pulled out her pcomp. She looked up at Sam. “Ready?”

  “No.”

  “Okay, then. Here we go. You might want to hang onto something.” Mad keyed a command into the little unit. There was a moment of silence, then all hell broke loose.

  ☼

  The lockdown system was designed to immobilize the habitat ring when it had been spun down and was stationary. There were numerous safeties built into the system to prevent it from being accidentally triggered when the ring was turning. It had never occurred to the designers that anyone would override those safeties and trigger it deliberately while the ring was in motion. But someone did.

  And the results were spectacular.

  Constantine Grace was sitting in the command chair when the lock was triggered. Ideally, the momentum from the ring and its counterweights should have canceled each other out. In practice, though, with the fractionally slower braking of the counter weight there was enough excess angular momentum to torque the entire ship almost instantaneously on its long axis by nearly ninety degrees.

  Grace was fortunate enough to have turned the center line mounted command chair toward the port side of the compartment in order to speak with the navigator. Otherwise, the sudden spin might have broken his neck. As it was, his head snapped back suddenly and painfully against the headrest while his lower legs shot out fast enough to yank the shipshoes from his feet. Around him, the hull groaned in reaction as the mass of the ship wrenched itself into its new position.