NanoSymbionts

by Joseph Philbrook

  To maintain optimal jump efficiency the Avant-garde's journey to the rendezvous required four subspatial jumps. Where they hoped to arrive with a 10% power reserve. There they would finalize the details of the confrontation with the guild.

  While they spent some time refueling after their second jump. Captain Waymaker had decided to wait until the completion of the third jump to assess whether or not he needed to refuel again before continuing to the rendezvous point.

  Each jump was essentially the same. They spent 2 cycles prepping the rift generators and calculating the precise jump vectors needed to arrive at the correct point in space in the correct sidereality. Then they spent another cycle generating a subspatial rift with the correct properties. Next, with a gut wrenching suddenness, they were in subspace with the subspatial thrust emulator clawing it's way to the subspatial pivot point for another cycle or two, depending on the distance involved. Then the thrust emulator would shut down, allowing subspace itself to spend up to another couple of cycles pushing them back into normal space. Whereupon the navigator would quickly verify their arrival coordinates. While the tactical officer deployed a prototype ‘synthuel-drone’ that would position itself into a special elliptic orbit around a nearby star allowing it to generate a tankful of synthuel that would be available to provide an instant refueling for some Free Spacer vessel at some point in the future. Then assuming they still had a minimum of 50% of their synthuel capacity remaining, they could immediately begin prepping the rift generators for the next jump.

  It was at the third subspatial pivot point that the crystal disk which Jake Peterson had given to captain Waymaker began to glow. He had fitted the disk in a slight circular depression in the control panel of a specially licensed piece of non-guild technology that had been built into the ships subspatial guidance system. It wasn't until they arrived at the third destination point that the signal was fully decoded. They had been fortunate up to this point with regard to the subspatial resistance factors involved in completing their second jump. So they still had nearly 55% of their maximum synthuel capacity. Captain Waymaker informed the navigator that he had decoded the signal.

  “That signal has given me the coordinates we needed to institute plan B Galina,” he said. “We will refuel at the rendezvous point. Please initialize the next jump vector calculations as soon as you can.”

  Galina Fialkovskii just nodded and went back to work.

  ***

  “I am sorry Jake,” said the Captain. “But I'm afraid the time has come for me to ask you to step into the isolation module. I've also been instructed to dump the isolation module into their cargo intake zone without taking the Resonance out of inversion. It's likely they don't want anyone wondering why the Resonance would have been parked here.”

  “There is no need to apologize Captain,” Jake replied. “I understand that you are just as obligated to comply with their instruction. As Steve was to insure that none of the data I got from him included the location of the facility known as Location-null.” Then as he stepped into the nano-secure isolation chamber, Jake added, “I guess I'm as ready as I'll ever be... Proceed Captain!”

  Then all external input ceased. Jake was not even able to detect the transition to normal space time as the isolation module was placed in the mining operation's freight delivery zone. He patiently waited for the isolation module to be relocated to the council chamber. He could not detect the process in any way but based on the apparent passage of time, he was certain he must have been there for a considerable period before the isolation chamber's shell became transparent and the sonic vibration suppressor stopped blocking the sounds around him. He found himself in a domed chamber surrounded by five hooded figures.

  “Greetings!” Jake said. “I presume that you must be the guild's council.”

  “You are to speak only when we require it of you,” said one of the hooded figures in a melodious voice.

  “Since I am not actually under any obligation to the guild...” Jake began to explain.

  “Silence!” another of them interrupted him in a somewhat nasal voice.

  Jake ignored him to finish explaining, “It's council has no jurisdiction over me.”

  Another robed figure responded with a female voice.

  “You have committed several serious crimes,” she informed him. “You would be wise to obey the council's instructions.”

  It was as he had expected. The council intended to treat him as a pre-convicted criminal. Which wouldn't have been appropriate until after he had had a chance to answer the charges. Even if he was under their jurisdiction.

  “Do you really want me to tell you where to stuff that nonsense?” Jake asked with a very ‘insubordinate’ attitude.

  “If the prisoner continues to disrespect the council,” another councilor expounded in a resonant voice. “He will be squelched.”

  Jake decided that he didn't have any respect for the way the council was treating him. So he responded with a deliberately rude noise. At which point the last councilor spoke up gruffly.

  “The prisoner shall now be squelched,” he began. “The sonic inhibitors will no longer permit any sounds the prisoner makes from reaching the council until such a time as we seek input from the prisoner.”

  Jake decided he hadn't quite made his point, so he resorted to an extremely rude form of visual communication until the isolation chamber's shell suddenly became opaque. Then Jake smiled to himself. It was time to sit back and wait. He had insured that the council wouldn't communicate with him again for an extended period. Indeed, he calculated that they would now choose let him languish in isolation long enough for his plan to begin working.

  While he waited he tried to imagine the look on Steve's face when he learned that his apprentice had actually mooned the guild council. The very thought of it was enough to make him laugh harder than he had in a long time.

  The councilors were of course outraged by his rude display. In fact until their nanites had reminded them of the fact that the original nanosymbiotic pact obligated them to inform him of any and all charges and to listen to his defense. Before they could actually pass judgment upon him. They had begun to consider the possibility of sending his sealed isolation chamber into the event horizon of a black hole. They were decidedly unhappy with the idea that sooner or later they would have to allow this madman to speak before they could implement a suitable punishment. They spent many cycles debating what a suitable punishment for him should consist of.

  In fact they were still debating it three overcycles later when a message drone arrived from their ‘Central Freight Station’ informing them that several subspace ships bearing Free Spacer identicodes had arrived at ‘Central Freight’ to bear suit against the guild. For illegally detaining their pledge, one Jake Peterson. Thereby defrauding the Alliance from acquiring an irrevocable license. To the only known viable medium range stardrive that wasn't dependent on temporal inversion. Which they claimed was a direct infringement of the ‘Free Space Accord’. Because it prevents the only viable opportunity for Free Spacers to become able to actually compete with the guild.

  “This is outrageous!” said 1st upon viewing the contents of the message drone.

  “How could they possibly even know that he is our prisoner?” 2nd queried, somewhat rhetorically.

  “In any case, they can't possibly prove that we have him,” 3rd expounded on the concept. “Perhaps we should invite them to inspect the brig at Central Freight Station to see that he isn't there.”

  “They would of course, deduce that we could have him some place else,” 4th added.

  “But their claim is such that the burden of proof is theirs,” 5th concluded. “Lets vote on it.”

  The vote was unanimous in favor of attempting the ruse. Yet no sooner had a message drone carrying their instructions been dispatched to Central Freight Station, than they were interrupted by an emergency signal from the outer system defense coordinator. He reported that a vessel with a Free Spacer identicode ha
d just returned to normal space, within the local star system. The ship had arrived directly into an extremely close parking orbit around it's sun. His report further informed them that the free spacer ship was transmitting a message addressed to the council itself. Furthermore there could be no doubt that the exact location of Location-null had been thoroughly compromised. Because that transmission was being sent via shielded tight beam directly to the correct asteroid. Ignoring completely the more obvious habitat, recreation and trade complexes located within some of the more accessible asteroids.

  “To the high council of the Cosmic Sailor's Guild,” the transmission said. “From captain Waymaker of the Free Spacer Alliance ship, the Avant-garde. The purpose of this transmission is to notify you that the Avant-garde is here to accept the immediate transfer of our pledge, Jake Peterson. Who is a provisional subject of the Free Space Accord.”

  “There is no point in pretending we are not here,” 1st said to the council. “But neither is there any need to respond before we have addressed the security breach that gave them our location.”

  “That much is certainly true,” 2nd continued the discussion. “I suggest we interrogate the Questor about how his apprentice's associates could have obtained such sensitive information.”

  “We might also ask the Questor how it is that his apprentice has such little respect for the dignity of the council,” 3rd added.

  “Yes we should interrogate him on both issues immediately,” 4th agreed. “Let us vote on it. I say yes.”

  “I suggest we amend the vote to include the distasteful prospect of interviewing the prisoner,” 5th spoke up gruffly. “Immediately after we conclude our interrogation of the Questor. I vote yes and yes.”

  “As much as I dislike the idea,” 1st commented. “I have to agree with 5th. I vote yes and yes.

  2nd, 3rd, and 4th voted likewise without further comment.

  “No, under no circumstances was it possible, for my apprentice to obtain Location-null's location from me,” Questor stated unequivocally. “None of the nanites containing that data have ever left the confines of my physical body. So the nanites Jake inherited didn't have that particular data. Nor have I ever entered it into any computer system other than the unlabeled coordinates I entered into my shuttles navigational computer when I approached the council 158 realtime years ago. On which occasion, I purged all records of the entire voyage from my navigation system's database. If you doubt my word, I will prepare a nano-verification tool so that you may test my nanites for the integrity of my assertion. But I'm curious why you haven't simply asked him directly?”

  “We would prefer to never have any further contact with him whatsoever,” 1st responded.

  “He was intolerably rude,” 2nd added.

  “Rather than explain the nauseating details,” 3rd said. “I shall release the session record of his initial council audience to your security pods data system.”

  “You are to view the record on the private viewing circuit only!” 4th amended.

  “We ourselves prefer not to be further exposed to it!” 5th concluded.

  Questor was surprised that the council was evidently willing to wait for him view the record. Since they hadn't closed out his session before them, he reasoned they expected the record would have a significant bearing on what he would be willing to tell them about Jake. When the data transfer was complete he routed it to the private viewing circuit as directed by the 4th councilor.

  He observed that Jake started out with a friendly but pointedly non-subordinate attitude. He also saw the high handed manor with which the council responded. He was not surprised by the rapid deterioration of Jake's attitude towards the council. Questor could have even predicted the rude sound Jake had made when the council had threatened to squelch him without having listened to his technically valid point about their lack of authority over him but he was completely unprepared for Jake's response to actually being squelched by the council.

  This presented a serious problem. Nonetheless, it took significant effort for Questor to avoid laughing about it.

  “It has been, has it not,” Questor began. “A very long time since the council gave audience to anyone, other than the leaders of a few governments, who were not actually beholding to the will of the council?” It was a rhetorical question, so Questor continued without pause. “So while there is no doubt that my apprentice was unforgivably rude upon being squelched for his lack of a subservient attitude, I'd recommend that you review everything that was said prior to his actual squelching. With a thought of how the council would have reacted, had one of those ‘heads of state’ presented in a similar manor.

  One thing is certain, you would have at least politely pretended to acknowledge his point of your lack of jurisdiction over him. So as such, I submit that the council is at least partially culpable for Jake's lapse of manors. Nonetheless, if you will allow me to speak with him. I think I can persuade him to apologize for that last gesture. At least, that is, if I can tell him that you will listen to ‘polite’ conversation from him. Which I hope I can, because I for one, would dearly like to know how he learned the location of this facility.”

  Jake's image slowly shook his head.

  “I take it they are monitoring this conversation Steve?” his image inquired after he heard Questor's request.

  “The councilors may, just may mind you, be many things Jake,” Questor's image replied. “But absolute stupidity isn't one of them. Of course they are monitoring this conversation. So don't go looking for any hidden messages in my words. I'm quite certain the Admiral would detect them.

  Especially since he already lost face with the council on account of me. So like I said, the council has good reason to speak with you. They are even willing to allow that you have a right to also speak your mind and have pledged to actually listen. Provided you will agree to keep a civil tongue in your head and respect the protocol of the council's order of speaking.

  The council speaks as if it were a single entity yet it has 5 separate voices. Once the first councilor begins speaking, you will be expected to hold your piece until the fifth councilor is done. If you will do that, they will also listen to you. Even if they don't like what they hear. But of course none of this will happen unless you first apologize for that, ah, last rude gesture you presented them with.”

  Jake's image grinned slightly.

  “Yeah, that was a little over the top wasn't it?” his image asked. Then continued without waiting for an answer. “Look Steve, I know they are listening but right now I'm talking to you not them. Since you evidently know about the mooning incident,” Jake's image said with a weak smile, “I presume you also know I started out trying to reason with them. And that it wasn't until they made it obvious that they were not planning on considering the legal distinction brought about by my not yet having sworn any allegiance to them. That I decided I didn't want to talk with them until they had a reason to take me more seriously. Which evidently they now do. But now that I've also had some time to cool off and think about it, I'm inclined to agree that actually mooning them wasn't called for. So for ‘that’ I'm willing to apologize. Now as far as council protocol goes, I'll refrain from interrupting their collective speech if they will, once it's my turn, refrain from interrupting mine.”

  Suddenly the direct communications link between the two isolation chambers was severed. While at the same time the shells of said chambers became transparent. Jake could see that Steve was contained in a similar chamber to the one he was locked into. He felt a twinge of compassion for him. Because if Steve's chamber was as good at blocking inter-nanite communications as his own was. Then Steve's symbiont couldn't possibly be giving him much support. Jake knew that, like most questors, Steve was very uncomfortable when that support was even momentarily disrupted. Jake's musing was cut short by the voice of the 1st councilor.

  “The terms you described to your master are acceptable to the council,” 1st began.

  Jake actually bit his tongue to
avoid correcting him about Steve's relationship to himself.

  “When 5th has spoken you will be expected to start with that apology,” 2nd continued.

  “If we believe your apology is sincere,” 3rd admonished. “We will then ask you some questions.”

  “Then in turn,” 4th continued. “You will have the opportunity to answer.”

  “After you answer our questions,” 5th finished. “You'll be given the opportunity to explain any of your concerns that we may not have addressed.”

  Jake stood up straight and looked each councilor in turn, squarely in what he could see of their eyes as he spoke.

  “I do apologize for my excessively rude behavior,” Jake began. “The fact that I was upset at the time does not excuse it. I was wrong to carry on so. Please accept my apology so that we might continue on to more reasonable discussions.”

  “I'm willing to accept that apology for the moment,” 1st began. Though I'm not ready to forgive the offense.”

  “I actually do believe he is sincere,” 2nd continued. “So barring further offense I am prepared to accept it unconditionally and consider that issue closed.”

  “I'm not quite so certain of his sincerity,” 3rd objected. “But in the interest of getting down to business, I concur with 2nd”

  “What is obvious to me is that he is making an effort to comply with our protocol,” 4th spoke up. “Even though his body language indicated that he wanted to rebut something 1st said. Yet he has held his tongue. That alone is enough for me to decide to credit his apology and agree with 2nd.”

  5th actually chuckled crudely.

  “Indeed, it can be difficult waiting ones turn to answer some of the things that 1st chooses to say,” he said. “I also agree with 2nd and I submit my first question to you. Just what was it that 1st said that set your teeth against your own tongue?” Jake inclined his head towards 5th as he answered.