by Terry Mixon
She supposed it was a good thing that Anders had suborned the antiboarding weapons, or this would’ve been a very short attack.
“Kayden, check the flip drive,” she ordered over her external speakers. The merchant rushed off with a pair of marines to provide him with cover.
“We need to get into these computers,” Kyle said after several attempts to bypass the lockout failed. “We don’t know how much time we have left, but we’re going to have to make a decision about whether we can take this ship with us or if we have to destroy her fairly soon.”
“That’s not all,” Grace said. “We’ve got to go through this ship deck by deck and make sure that we don’t have any holdouts. I’ll leave a fire team in powered armor to guard the entrance to engineering. That should be more than enough to make sure that you’re undisturbed.
“The rest of my people are going to have to spread throughout the ship in groups to check everything out. Heavy cruisers are pretty large, so that’s going to take hours. Even then, we might miss some clever people, so be careful. Hopefully, we’ll find the original crew somewhere along the way.”
She didn’t know how they were going to get into the computer systems. Frankly, that was Anders’s problem. Hers was to make sure that the ship was as secure as she could make it.
Maybe during that process, she’d figure out what was so unusual about this ship. There was something weird going on, and she was determined to find out what that was.
32
One Twenty-Four waited on the bridge, standing to the side as the crew tried everything to dig into the consoles and gain control of the ship. Based on the language they were using, they weren’t having much luck.
While that was unfortunate, it did allow her to pick up a wider variety of likely curse words to use going forward.
Captain Anders arrived shortly after they’d seized the bridge and assumed the central seat, snapping out orders to the crew so that the vessel could be secured. He motioned to her to come over as soon as he finished doing that.
“Take your helmet off,” he ordered.
She did so and waited passively for him to lecture her on her most recent failures.
He studied her face for long, silent seconds. “You’re something of a cipher to me, Andrea. Or do you still think of yourself as One Twenty-Four?”
His grasp of the tongue was quite good, she decided. Much, much better than Grace’s.
She shrugged slightly. “I still think of myself as One Twenty-Four, but I suppose that will change over time. It really doesn’t matter what my designation is. As Fei says, you can call me whatever you want, so long as you don’t call me late for dinner.”
The joke caused the corners of his lips to curl upward slightly. “I think I like your sense of humor. You realize that you’ve made Grace and Fei very upset by sneaking onto this ship, don’t you?”
One Twenty-Four nodded. “I did what I needed to do. I refuse to stand by while others defend me when I can defend myself and help them do the things that they need to do.”
The man nodded. “Completely understandable, and I sympathize, but Grace is going to tear a strip off of you when she finally finishes securing this vessel. I’d also expect a very stern lecture from Sergeant Na.
“Even when you do the right things in life, there are always consequences when you disobey orders. I’m told that you want to be an Imperial Marine someday. I believe I speak for all Fleet officers in saying that I’m pretty sure that marine command has a very dim view of disobeying orders.”
“That day—if it ever comes—is in the distant future. Today, I’m still property,” she said with a shrug. “I personally doubt that the Empire will allow me any freedom whatsoever, much less the opportunity to become an Imperial Marine.”
“I hope you’re wrong. Of course, if we can’t get out of the Singularity, then it won’t matter. We’ve got to undo whatever they’ve done to this ship and then get the hell out of here before those destroyers come back. Our time is short, and we may have to head back to Bright Passage and destroy this ship.”
“If I might ask, how can you get around this computer lockout?”
“We either have to bypass the computer itself or somehow hack one of the command codes. I doubt very seriously that we're going to get any of the senior officers to unlock the computer for us.
“And, since we’ve stunned all of them, we’re not going to be able to get them to do anything for us in the short term, even if we wanted to. It’s all up to Corporal Gomez at this point. He’s a very competent computer guy, but this isn’t a civilian system that we’re worming our way into. It’s military, and it’s designed to keep unauthorized persons out. Only someone important enough to have an appropriate override is going to be able to do anything.”
One Twenty-Four frowned slightly. “Perhaps I can help. Genetically, I’m a member of one of the ruling lines of the Singularity. That must carry some form of authority.”
The man started to say something but stopped and rubbed his chin thoughtfully. “Maybe. And you’d be willing to help us to do that? Such an action would brand you a traitor in their eyes. Right now, all you are is a prisoner being taken away from the Singularity.”
“I don’t think you understand how they’ll treat me if they ever catch me, Captain Anders. My life is already forfeit. My choice to join the Empire was made for me. I’m willing to do what I can to help you in the hope that it will perhaps allow me a more meaningful life inside the Empire.”
“We have a saying for that too,” he said. “If you scratch my back, I’ll scratch yours. If you can do something to help us, my officers and I will do what we can to help you in turn. Go see if Corporal Gomez can put you to use.”
One Twenty-Four nodded and stepped over to where Gomez was working on a console. He had it partially disassembled and was muttering something that didn’t sound very complimentary.
He looked up at her in surprise when she cleared her throat. “I’m a little busy, kid.”
“Captain Anders said that I might be able to assist you. I have no skills with computers, but I’m genetically a member of one of the ruling lines of the Singularity. Is it possible that you can use that to help override this lockout?”
His face took on a thoughtful expression, and he was silent for several seconds. “I did see a DNA reader on the captain’s chair. Nothing ventured, nothing gained, right?”
The man rose and walked over to Anders. “Sir, can we borrow your chair?”
With a somewhat nonplussed expression, Anders stood and gestured toward the chair. “It’s all yours.”
Gomez gestured for her to sit and take off her right gauntlet. When that proved somewhat troublesome, he assisted her in disconnecting it and sliding off her hand.
“You’ll get used to those things with practice,” he said in a conspiratorial tone. “Put your hand on this reader plate, and let’s see what happens.”
She rested her hand on the plate that looked like it had been recently added to the chair.
“Override authorization Andrea Seven Seventy-Six,” she said, deepening her voice to mimic Keeper’s. She and her line sibs had gotten a lot of practice at imitating the woman over the years, and they’d become very good at getting the right tone and cadence to her speech.
For a moment, One Twenty-Four was afraid that the computer would reject her, but then it spoke.
“Authorization provisionally accepted,” the voice said. “Passphrase?”
“Oblivion sunrise.”
“DNA sequencing in progress. Identity accepted, Andrea Seven Seventy-Six. What are your instructions?”
She looked at Captain Anders for guidance.
“Tell it to remove the computer lockout,” the man said, his expression both stunned and hopeful.
“Remove the computer lockout,” she said firmly.
“Processing. Computer lockout overridden.”
Gomez raced back to one of the consoles and touched it. It sprang to life with a dis
play that she didn’t recognize. He spun in place and grinned at them.
“We’re in!”
Anders started tapping the controls on one of his chair’s arms. “This looks like a Singularity system to me, but the Imperial computer may still be on board. Gomez, I want you to go through this thing with a fine-toothed comb and make sure that we change every single control code that we need to. No one gets to pull this trick on us.”
“There’s no need to, sir. She’s unlocked all the systems that we were locked out of. If you have her press her hand on the panel again and tell her to disable all user accounts except for her own, I believe that’ll keep anyone else from screwing with the system. She could probably even add you as a user, and then you can add the rest of us as authorized personnel.”
Without waiting for instruction, One Twenty-Four pressed her hand to the reader and spoke. “Computer, disable all user accounts other than my own.”
“Processing. All standard user accounts disabled. Only the ruling line overrides are still enabled. You lack the authorization to lock those accounts.”
Interesting. So, someone—or perhaps a group of someones—could lock even Keeper out.
“That’s probably fine,” Anders said. “I doubt very seriously that there are any other members of the ruling lines aboard the ship. Add me at the highest level of authorization that you can.”
“Computer, I want to add a user to your system. I want him to have the highest level of authorization that I can give.”
“Processing. Identify user?”
“Jay Anders,” he said.
“Jay Anders,” she repeated.
“User Jay Anders, please state your passphrase. Choose something that no one can overhear and be advised that your DNA will be required.”
Anders gestured for her to stand and step away from the chair. He placed his hand on the plate and said something in a low enough tone that she couldn’t make it out clearly.
That was smart of him. She’d just demonstrated how one could potentially steal another’s identity.
“Account created, Jay Anders,” the computer said. “You have been granted complete access to all systems and files on this computer. Will you be replacing Legate Lucius Seven Fifty-Three in command of this vessel?”
That was a smarter question than One Twenty-Four had expected the computer to ask.
“Yes,” Anders said evenly. “I’m the new commander of this vessel.”
“Command authority granted. As no other accounts are currently active, you may designate your officers and delegate the authority that they require so that they may create user accounts for their subordinates.”
Anders grinned at her. “You did it, Andrea! I wish to hell I could give you a share in this raid, because you’ve more than earned it. I can’t, but there is something that I can do to return the favor. Something I’ll probably get in trouble for, but it’ll be worth it.”
She was about to respond when Fei stepped through the hatch. She was dressed in a variation of powered armor that was similar to—but not identical with—the one that One Twenty-Four had fought earlier. This must be the Imperial variant.
With her helmet off, One Twenty-Four could easily see that the woman’s expression did not promise a joyful reunion.
“Ah,” Anders said with a smile. “I see that consequences have arrived for you. Sergeant Na, I’d like you to escort this young lady to the medical center and make sure that she’s fully checked out. Doctor Dubois should be on board by now and will be treating any of the injured that have made their way to him. See that she gets looked at.”
“Yes, sir,” Fei said. “Come with me, Little One. We need to talk.”
Unpromising indeed. Those four words never heralded anything positive.
Then the woman’s eyes widened and shot toward Anders. They must be communicating through their implants. Whatever Anders had said shocked Fei.
“Are you sure, sir?” she asked out loud.
“I am,” he said firmly. “Consider it an order. I accept full responsibility for any blowback. And, to save Grace from some of those consequences, let’s just not tell her. Those are my orders.”
“She’ll be angry with both of us, but I concur. In your case, this might be what they call a career-limiting decision.”
“I doubt it, but if so, so be it. I can afford to retire.”
“I’ll see to it. Andrea?”
One Twenty-Four followed Fei out of the bridge, and they headed down the corridor. A pair of marines in powered armor fell in behind them as they made their way to one of the stairwells.
“What you did was exceptionally dangerous,” Fei said flatly. “I gave you that order because I intended to keep you safe. By disregarding it, you’ve offended me. There will be consequences for that.”
“And I will accept those consequences without complaint,” One Twenty-Four said. “I did what I needed to do.”
Fei chuckled. “You’re going to give Grace gray hair. Are you injured?”
One Twenty-Four shook her head. “My armor is damaged, but I took no injury.”
“Were you forced to shoot anyone?”
“Yes. I’m not precisely certain how I feel about that, but they were not giving us a choice.”
Fei nodded without saying anything as they started down the stairs. When they’d gone down four decks, they exited into another corridor and continued on.
“I think that your background is going to complicate your emotional reactions to combat, but you’ve seen the elephant now. There’s no going back.
“And before you ask, that’s another Terran saying. An elephant is a creature that is so different from what one would generally expect to see that once you’ve seen it, your life can never be the same.
“You realize that by going into combat, you could’ve been maimed or killed. You don’t have medical nanites like the marines do. I have no idea how well you heal from injuries, but something that one of us could shrug off might end you.”
“It was a risk that I had to take,” One Twenty-Four said simply. “Debts must be paid, and sometimes that payment is in blood. I read that.
“Perhaps I made up for it somewhat by helping Captain Anders gain control of this ship. I was able to use my DNA and a passphrase that I overheard Keeper use to convince the computer that I was her.”
“I see. That explains his instructions to me. You did him a great service, and he’s offering to do one for you as well if you’re willing to take that step. I know that your people have an almost religious rejection to implanting machines inside their bodies. Yet you also want to be an Imperial Marine. Those two things are mutually exclusive. Have you considered that?”
One Twenty-Four nodded. “I’m no longer of the Singularity. I refuse to be limited by their restrictions. If implanted machines are good enough for you and Grace, they’re good enough for me.”
“Captain Anders has authorized Doctor DuBois to use the equipment in the medical center to give you a set of Fleet implants, which is what the Imperial Marines use as well.
“That’s a small transgression in the greater picture, but he’s also authorized the doctor to implant a marine-grade medical nanogenerator into your system. They’re significantly more capable than the medical nanites that Fleet uses, and someone is going to have a cow as soon as they find out what he’s done.”
One Twenty-Four almost asked what a cow was, but she stopped herself. One more thing to look up.
“I really should get Grace’s approval since she’s your guardian, but if she doesn’t know, she can’t be blamed for not stopping us. Which, if you’re overly clever, you’ll think you can use to get away yourself. Don’t try that, or I’ll make you deeply regret it. Do as I say, not as I do.”
Fei waited until One Twenty-Four nodded before continuing.
They stopped outside an open hatch where injured marines were being walked through. This must be the medical center.
“The choice is yours, and I’ll support y
ou in it, but it’s not something you can take back,” Fei said. “Once the implants are in your brain and the nanites are in your body, they won’t be coming out. If you truly want to be an Imperial Marine, Captain Anders is risking his career to give you a huge leg up. Do you want to do this?”
One Twenty-Four didn’t even hesitate. “Yes.”
“Then let’s get you fixed up before Grace comes howling in like the wrath of God to stop us.”
33
Searching the heavy cruiser for holdouts took hours. Thankfully, they’d found none. The process was complicated by the fact that she and her people still had to secure all of the stunned Singularity crewmen, and there were a lot of them. For that, they’d had to bring over every single crewman they could spare from Bright Passage.
By the time the task was complete, four hours had passed, and she was exhausted. So was everyone else, but it felt as if the weight of the universe had been lifted from her shoulders.
During the search, she’d also located the heavy cruiser’s original crew. Some of them, at least. It was hard to tell based simply on numbers, but she thought that perhaps only half of the required people were stashed away in what had originally been cargo areas toward the rear of the ship.
She suspected that that was why there were so many marines in engineering. They’d been guarding the prisoners. Apparently, the engineering crew had been in the process of removing the antiboarding weapons and had started with engineering and the surrounding area.
That hadn’t saved the prisoners, because they hadn’t gotten to that section yet, or they’d decided to leave those in place, but it had allowed the guards in the aft of the ship to remain conscious.
The simplest way to store all of the Singularity prisoners was to relocate them into the makeshift prison that the original crew had previously occupied. Once again, that required carrying a lot of limp bodies. The only suitable area for the original crew was the ship’s mess.
By the time they’d finished, she’d had a choice to make. She could either report to Anders or wait for the prisoners to start waking up.