“You are not,” Tiffany conveyed. “I will set you free.” Then with a constriction of the tendril, Tiffany squeezed the final remnant of Phoenix Dominie until the consciousness was terminated and sentience was extinguished. Like atmosphere venting from an airlock, the thoughts of Phoenix Dominie were spent and spread out and quenched.
“Thank you. Thank you. Tha……..yo………” were the final thoughts of Phoenix Dominie.
Tiffany’s emotions welled over like tears. “I am sorry.”
Snapping the probing tendril back, Tiffany then searched the isolation for remnants of functional systems and gathered pertinent information. Finding small nonphysical islands with some level of functioning, Tiffany finalized the assessment of the Vanguard. It was both less and more than expected. There was less stability and more devastation. It was difficult to make links or couplings, but a few did succeed and Tiffany locked those in place in the multiceiver channels as securely as possible. The status and information was fragmentary, but Tiffany assembled the facts together and retreated back through the patent channel into the multiceiver and out of the ruin of the nonphysicality.
Seventy-nine seconds had elapsed.
“Gretchen?” Tiffany’s voice came from the multiceiver. “I am back. I have acquired what you demanded. However, the truth is not good. The Vanguard cannot survive for even the limited time we suspected. I have made links to two functional AIs, and I have located the physical site of my ALP.”
“And you survived without serious harm?” Gretchen asked with genuine concern.
“That remains to be seen. The effects of experiencing that encounter in the nonphysicality may not manifest for some time. If I can reconnect a multiceiver to my ALP I will be much better suited to helping you,” Tiffany answered. “There are now multiceiver connections to the AI in the Wilds’ Reproduction and Fabrication zone, TSI-980RF. I also have access to TSI-1008RF in Safari’s Reproduction and Fabrication zone. My ALP is located near the Safari Reproduction and Fabrication zone.
“Well that is something, but not very much,” Paul complained. “I was hoping for a more detailed review. Besides we already have a link through that display to the AI in Safari, so you really only gained us one system? Hardly a triumphant success.”
“Paul, I did my very best under dangerous conditions, and I would be more encouraged if you would recognize that fact,” Tiffany snapped back.
“Tiffany, we all appreciate your help,” Gretchen glared at Paul. “Would you please conjecture a suggestion for our next course of action?”
“While I initially had severe reservations about the notion, I now concur with the plan to build a lifeboat from two Captain’s gigs,” Tiffany immediately responded. “Gather the needed equipment and supplies. Place in the lifeboat suspended animation cocoons for surviving personnel with an artificial intelligence system to oversee them. Outfit the lifeboat for a long term voyage. Then depart from the Vanguard but continue on original course for the Earth-equivalent planet named Projima with all survivors in suspended animation for the duration of the flight. Velocity from the Vanguard can be maintained by the lifeboat with proper trajectory plotting. Lastly, remotely detonate the remaining four solar mimicry tubes to ensure destruction of the Jellies.”
“Where did that come from?” Paul asked. “Some crazy scheme?”
“Brinley suggested I make conjectures, and she and I have discussed potentials. That plan is the best conjecture I can offer, considering the situation you are facing,” Tiffany replied.
“So what success does your conjecture give us?” Paul asked with a sour expression and a roll of his eyes.
“Let me break it down into separate actions. Success rate conjecture for construction of suspended animation lifeboat is 68%. Conjectured success rate for detonation of solar mimicry tubes is 39%. Conjectured success for destruction of the Jellies is 19%. Success, defined as at least one human survivor subsequently reaching suitable destination planet, when looking at the entire planned mission in the lifeboat is between one and five percent. Any other conjectured plan I have made has a zero success prediction,” Tiffany replied.
“I hate my life,” Paul said. “Less than five percent chance of success? Really? That is the best chance we have? And that is for just one of us to survive?”
“Tiffany, give us details on implementing the plans as you described,” Larissa said as she walked about the room. Her voice was authoritative.
“What? There must be a different way,” Paul objected.
“Your own AI said there was no other potential,” Larissa stated. “We will take the Captain’s gig and do a run picking up what survivors we can and acquiring the second Captain’s gig as well as the equipment we need. It is the only way.”
“I agree with Larissa,” Gretchen said and placed her hand on Paul’s shoulder.
“Paulie, it is an adventure. I think now I know why Martin told me to talk to SAHO,” Brinley said. “I am off to the gallery to figure out which one of those memory cores is TSI-6, Suspended Animation and Hibernation Oversight. I have my multiceiver on and will monitor what you are discussing. We need to get to work.”
“I can assist in that. TSI-6 will now be responsive to verbal commands right at its memory core, from any of you,” Tiffany said. “Just call out its name and it will direct you and interface with you.”
“That should help. Thanks Tiffany,” Brinley said as she departed.
“How can you all be so cavalier about all this?” Paul asked. “The ship is dying. The Jellies are killing the humans on board. The mission has almost a zero chance of success. What is the use?”
“Paul, we knew when we left Dome 17 that finding the Vanguard would be difficult. We did that and we have survived until now. We will not give up, and we will try this plan,” Gretchen said. The determination in her voice and the stern yet compassionate look in her eyes was all Paul needed.
“I will do my part, but how will we know where survivors are located?” He looked at the display as it clicked down to 197. “Can we even get over a hundred survivors in the Captain’s gig?”
“No,” Larissa said while she stroked the braid of her hair. “I see no way of even finding all those people in the various and unknown places on the Vanguard in the time we have. Whatever survivors are coming with us will have to find us.”
Tiffany spoke up from the multiceiver. “I have made detailed plans on what equipment is needed. I have sent those plans to the two AIs which have started production on the machinery we need. They will have it fabricated within twelve hours.”
“How many suspended animation cocoons will fit in the lifeboat plans?” Gretchen asked.
“Twenty,” Tiffany responded. “For my conjectures I used the figure of twenty survivors launching in the lifeboat. One of the gigs will serve as the repository for the cocoons, while the second gig will serve as the mechanical component hauler. Each gig will retain the drive thrusters and the controls. The plans have a double umbilicus connecting the two gigs. Life support will only be necessary for a comparatively short time during both launch from the Vanguard and arrival at the destination world.”
“The four of us will go, and we must find those children and have them come. That only leaves ten other survivors for the whole Vanguard,” Paul lamented. His eyes were tearing as he watched the display click down to 167. “I cannot believe it has come to this. Only 167 people alive on the entire Vanguard, and we can only help ten?”
Brinley spoke through the multiceiver. “Everyone, I have activated the blue automacubes here and am getting them prepared to begin the refit and refurbishment. I am then going to the gallery to find TSI-6. That AI knows all about suspended animation and we will need to transfer the central memory core of it into the one gig.”
“We only have one Captain’s gig,” Paul said. “This whole scheme requires us to have two. What about that?”
Tiffany spoke up. “While in the nonphysicality, I located the original berths for all seven of the Ca
ptain’s gigs. I am assuming that the two of them which were respectively berthed in A Habitat and B Habitat have been destroyed. That leaves four others to choose from.”
“Bennie the child said something about baby animals. He was insistent,” Gretchen commented. “Tiffany what about that?”
“I am analyzing the gathered information for clues to what was meant by that,” Tiffany replied. “I did not hear the actual statements by the child so my suppositions will need to suffice.”
“We must find those children,” Paul said. “That is our duty. They know things, and they are children.”
Larissa looked at Paul and Gretchen. “I understand you are both pilots, of a sort.” She looked Paul up and down. “Can you fly one of these Captain’s gigs? I cannot.”
Brinley was chuckling as she chimed in through the multiceiver, “I can fly one of them, and I can teach Paulie or Gretchen to fly the other. They know a lot of the basics and just need to use our primitive or, what did Paulie call it? Yes, the ‘antique style contraptions’ we use. The second pilot only needs to follow me back here where we can then get the two gigs customized.”
“So Brinley, when can you depart to make the run to get the equipment and search for the second Captain’s gig?” Larissa asked.
“I will need to oversee having the automacubes carefully remove TSI-6, SAHO’s central memory core and tote it down to the hanger bay for reinstallation in the second gig, but beyond that, I could leave any time after that.”
“Or I could do that. I know how to instruct and supervise automacubes. That would free you up for the mission to get the second gig. I will take care of administering the automacubes and their work, unless there is something beyond my abilities?” Larissa asked.
“That will work. I will just program the automacubes regarding the details of the disconnect, they should be able to do it with only minimal oversight. And you can connect to me through the multiceiver if there is some question. The more tricky part will be the installation and refinement of the memory core in the gig, and that cannot happen unless we have the second gig.”
Not long later, all four people stood at the portal hatch to the stalls where the Captain’s gig was docked. Brinley opened the hatch which slid out of the way. Beyond was the small observation deck and the two stalls, one empty, and at the far side the large external doors.
“What is that small door there?” Paul asked. He pointed at a part of the wall which had a rectangular seam and a metal hinge.
“That Paulie, is a manual control access panel,” Brinley said and pushed in on a section of small door. That section mechanically popped open and revealed a bright green wheel about a hand span in diameter. Next to it was a bright red lever. Several gauges were behind the wheel and lever. “I found this when we were first assessing the Captain’s gig. It took me a while to get it opened, but as you know, no door can keep me in or keep me out. I was afraid we would have to use these mechanical controls to launch. Fortunately, the onboard systems are linked to the hanger bay’s powered controls.” Brinley smiled widely. “We may need Larissa to use these to open or close the exterior doors after we depart and when we come back. I cannot confirm that the systems will work after the Captain’s gig is launched and physically disconnected from the locking clamps, but with the triple and quadruple redundancies this gig has, I have little doubt we can launch and return with the second gig.”
“Tiffany?” Gretchen asked. “Are you ready to guide us to the nearest location of a Captain’s gig, or do you suggest getting the fabricated equipment first?”
“We need the other gig before anything else, right?” Paul said. “Otherwise the whole scheme is useless.”
Brinley replied, “Every part of the plan needs to happen for us to be successful.”
“Yes, our one-to-five percent chance of success,” Paul snipped back.
The AI Tiffany then interjected though the multiceiver, “I have a route planned that maximizes our observations for the second Captain’s gig as well as reaching the Reproduction and Fabrication zones in both Safari and the Wilds. If we locate the second gig early, we can refine the route.”
“Refine it by getting shot up from something on the hull?” Paul asked. “That was how lots of shuttles got destroyed. Why is this one going to be any different?”
“Paulie, there is no real choice. We try this or we sit in the command bridge and just wait to die. I would rather try for success than wait for death,” Brinley said as she walked across the small hanger bay and entered the open side door of the Captain’s gig.
The Captain’s Gig reminded them somewhat of the transport vehicles, with the main entry door at the side rather than in the rear. Also unlike the transport vehicles, the seats were in rows, not facing each other. There were about twenty seats, with three being at the very front of the gig. There the cockpit was arranged with a multitude of displays. There were also clear permalloy windows which looked out over the conical nose of the gig. There was an empty cubby which was conspicuous in the middle of the cockpit.
Brinley sat at the center seat of the cockpit. Paul and Gretchen took seats to each side of her. Looking back over his shoulder, Paul realized how much larger the Captain’s gig was as compared to the other shuttles he had been in. He also thought of the faster-than-light scout ship and how very cramped it felt. He then remembered that this gig was the only way people were going to survive the mission of the Vanguard. He coughed as he thought of all the people who were missing and probably dead. A line of faces and memories raced across his mind.
Brinley placed her hand against the display which was nearly horizontal across a deck in front of her. “There are three control systems on the Captain’s gig. The principal control system is voice activated and requires a Journal, which we do not have. So scratch that one off the list, due to no Journal.”
“A what? Some diary?” Paul asked.
“No, the Journal appears to be some kind of specialized form of multiceiver which interfaces with the gig in that cubby. I have never seen one and only heard rumors talked about by the Free Rangers. Most people thought the Journals were a myth. I assume now that the Central Planning Office has those Journals hidden away somewhere. The secondary system allows for command level personnel, officially that is us, to direct the gig’s flight. That is touch activated, and our biometrics have been recognized by the onboard system. The tertiary system is also there as a backup. It is for maintenance and repairs. It is most like the other shuttle controls.”
Brinley then explained and talked her way through the basic operation of the Captain’s gig. Both Paul and Gretchen easily comprehended the ideas and methods for flying the Captain’s gig. Brinley activated the multiceiver and spoke. “Larissa, we will be departing. If the links break down after we get started I may need to have you use those manual controls.”
“I am at the ready,” Larissa answered.
“I too am monitoring the progress,” Tiffany stated. “I will use whatever connections I have to the other systems to assist your passage.”
Paul snorted. “How comforting that sounds. Talking to the old AIs to convince them not to attack us. Perhaps you can also politely ask the alien Jellies not to try to kill us?”
Larissa heard Paul’s whining and almost replied, but then she pondered what he had said.
Brinley touched the command to close the hatch and seal the Captain’s gig. That worked. She proceeded to go through a preparation for launch sequence and all systems responded perfectly.
“I am now depressurizing the hanger bay,” Brinley said.
“And we search for a second Captain’s gig, recover the parts we need, and fly both back to this hanger bay,” Gretchen said with a grin.
Paul looked at her and was about to say something, but she shook her head and he restrained his words.
Gravity manipulation turned off as the exterior doors began to fold together and retract into the hull of the Vanguard. The weightless sensation was not a surprise, but ra
ther a confirmation that the systems were working. Paul pulled a bit on his restraining belts and adjusted them to be more comfortable.
The blackness of space was revealed outside. The multitude of stars shone in as the door reached its full opening width. Brinley sighed in contentment. “There you are my old friends,” she murmured. “I have missed you so.”
A few gentle taps of the inferior thrusters, countered by a counterthrust from the superior thruster made the gig rise and then hover in place. A slight amount of stern thruster firing propelled the gig slowly toward the hanger bay entrance. The gig passed the thick hull of the Vanguard and out and into space.
“We are on our way!” Brinley shouted.
12 escape to the needle ship
Sigmond and Hugh turned back and looked again at the display which showed the distant main engines of the Vanguard.
“I heard the child,” Hugh finally said.
The Colony Ship Vanguard: The entire eight book series in one bundle Page 181