Interstellar Starpilots

by F Stephan

  “Shouldn’t we let her escape with a cure?” Lapren was pale. He had promised they would save the people of Dupner.

  “No, it’s complex and will waste time. They dared attack me. This cannot go unchallenged. So, I’ve booby trapped the way to Dupner. It’ll teach them respect!” He’s mad, madder than I thought. “I’ll take control of the Federation and you’ll be my puppet. That is, if you want to live! And you do want to live Lapren, don’t you?” The voice laughed, a harsh, crazy sound, and Lapren recoiled in terror, shaking.

  Brian

  Alkath, 2141 AD, Second week of April

  On a cloudy morning, a group of pilots drove a wedge with their crews through the milling crowd of the early market. Hours before dawn, Mistress Roul’al’mer had called ten crews to her office, waking them up in the deep night. “You’ve been called to the orbital station for an emergency. This is not an exercise.” They hadn’t obtained any other information from her before she sent them to the harbor. There, a large speedboat, a sleek ship running on rare fossil energy, had rushed them to the foot of the elevator. At the harbor, a group of security officers had taken them in tow to transport them across the island quickly. All around Brian, the other student walked in stunned silence. They knew the drill, but it was seldom used. It bode nothing good.

  Brian looked at Chilin and then Sunray. Silently, he mouthed “Liliana?” They didn’t know where their doctor was. Sunray answered. “Quarantine station?” If they had still been chosen with her unavailable, she would be up in the station already. Weirder and weirder!

  Brian was scared of the trip up the rail, remembering the long fall of his previous ride. Short, grim faced, with features too sharp and lanky, a Federation officer provided a distraction Brian welcomed by briefing them. “Every spare ship and crew we have is currently on its way to Lelet.” Brian had learned this from Attaché Even already. “Only practice scouts and trainees remain here. We’ve got an emergency and you’re the only one we can ask for help.”

  Poulem cleared her throat. “Is this a mission, according to the Federation’s charter?”

  “Yes, madam. It will count double in your years of service. You’re expected in Ullem in four days. Then, you’ll fly to Dupner as fast as you can.” Mathias, what’s happening to him? “You’ll study your charts and find the fastest possible route. This isn’t a competition. There isn’t any award if you win. Only life spared. You’ll share your routes with everyone.”

  “Do you have more details on what’s happening?” This time, it was Sonter who spoke.

  “No, I don’t. You’ll know more when you arrive in Ullem. You can begin your work right now. You leave two hours after arrival at the station.”

  3-Ds popped up in the whole cabin as the crews began to work on preflight checks.

  Liliana joined them after their arrival, silent and tight lipped. “What’s the news?” Sunray blurted out, looking at her.

  “Can’t talk to you about it. Not until we reach Ullem. Please drop it. We need to be off, fast.” She hurried to the airlock and was the first to suit up, still glum, silently handing a pill to Sunray to help with his nausea. This time, the transfer to the scout was quick and Sunray went straight away to the engineering area.

  Brian followed Liliane to the bridge. They had flown it a few times and knew it well by now. Chilin went to his own console. Liliana began the countdown and green lights began to appear around Brian. Then, in sync with the other crew, he pushed the ship away from the station on his ion thrusters and pointed it toward the jump point. As soon as it was far enough from the orbital, Brian began to deform gravity with the singularity and pushed them forward.

  Before they jumped, Loupiac called in, through a secure line, opening a 3-D in the middle of the bridge..

  “Hello. You’re going to Dupner. Don’t say no. My sources are better than yours.” Brian smiled at the pride in the old man’s words. “Remember our training session. There was a direct trade route during the imperium. Think about it. It’s difficult and dangerous but it’ll be much faster.” Loupiac closed the connection and Brian felt Liliana’s gaze on him.

  Emily

  Blanel, 2141 AD, Second week of April

  While on the elevator, Emily looked at the face of her friends in wonder. Brian, usually unsure of his place, was excited to have free reins in a space run to a distant planet. Why am I uninterested? I should rejoice in it. She had always worked alone, and this group didn’t appeal to her. Bored, she felt bored.

  A young operative took her aside after their arrival in Alkath Central. In a small adjoining cabin awaited Even, dressed in a standard jumpsuit.

  “Good morning, young lady. I’m flying off with you.” She was busy, working on a personal console. “Let’s say this is a way to test a future collaboration.” Very straightforward?

  “To Ullem?” Intuition told her they wouldn’t fly in a straight path. She used her nanites to check the console and confirmed it was disconnected from the network.

  “Very impolite to listen in on conversations, young lady.” The attaché switched off her device, and Emily was ejected from her attempt. “Anyway, I’ve finished what I needed to do. To answer your answer, yes, we go to Ullem like the others, although indirectly. We’ll fly through Blanel. We’ll stop there for a little while.” The voice was very matter of fact, yet Emily could sense some worry in the older woman. That was unusual enough to strike her.

  “And my crew, what should I tell them? I’m interested in your offer, but they aren’t.” She hadn’t made her decision yet and she didn’t want to commit her crew already.

  “Oh, actually, they did, even if you haven’t.” The older woman smiled ruefully. “Yet. They were in from the start. I thought you might prove interested.” Emily felt manipulated, which was true enough, and at a loss for words. “I don’t have a large organization, you’ll see. But, I do plan. Can we leave in an hour? I need some time to get a last delivery on board.”

  Two days later, Emily finalized the alignment of the ship with the correct vector leading into the jump point. At this speed, these were only minute changes, but every loss of angles would count on the efficiency of the jump. “Ready to jump in five minutes now. Everyone at your post.”

  Even inserted herself into the group. “We could be expected on arrival. Remain alert and inform me on any doubt you have.”

  “Expected? By whom?” blurted Emily in surprise.

  “Unknown hostile forces. What else?” Even smiled at her. “Probably an old warship from the Ancients.”

  “Against a scout?”

  “Until we reach our destination, they won’t touch us. After, you won’t be of any interest to them. And I’ll deal with them from that point on.”

  Five minutes later, Emily activated her nanites and pushed the ship into hyperspace, using all her senses to control the singularity while emerging at the other end of the jump points. An eternity of instants later, the stars of a new solar system appeared. They were in Blanel. She projected her senses around the ship but felt nothing. You idiot, she cursed herself, anyone expecting us will watch us from light minutes away.

  “We’re in Blanel, jump area clear. We’re proceeding as planned. Crew, your status?” The answers came in a minute, all positive. So far, so good. Three more jumps, fumble around the asteroid field, three new jumps, and straight to Ullem. What game are you playing, old crone? Her heart raced as she began to prepare her ship for the next course correction.

  Even

  Blanel, 2141 AD, Second week of April

  Even took her time putting on her suit. She had prepared it for a long time, dreading the moment she would use it. It has haunted me for such a long time.

  In the second jump into Blanel, they still hadn’t found any signal from other ships. If any were watching them, they had arrived weeks ago and were hiding radiation sources. Her brother had never been patient, and it surprised her. You may have grown in the millennia since we split paths. Why didn’t you learn emotions? S
he often regretted her decision not to follow him to Ullemar. She had felt it was the right decision when his ways alone would only lead to a new disaster. Yet, it had stranded her, alone in this universe, exiled and the last of her kind.

  “What if your enemy isn’t here?” asked Emily over her headset.

  “He’ll be here, don’t worry. I’m sure he has guessed this. Or intercepted some communication to this system.”

  “Good trip, Attaché. See you soon.” With that, Emily opened the scout’s hatch and her small craft was pushed out of the ship. It ran on minimal energy and wouldn’t go far. That made it nearly invisible even when the most advanced equipment was used. Emily’s ship led her toward his next jump, leaving her alone.

  She activated the ion thrusters and changed course, matching her target speed and vector. Six long hours later, she reached her old station. It was blackened, a dark asteroid in an empty region of space, undetectable except by sheer accident. She had detached the singularity ages ago to hide better, so there was no gravity inside. It didn’t matter, she knew the station by heart.

  “Hello, Lexia. How are you today?”

  “Good day, Lady Even. Bored as usual. This is a quiet place. We haven’t talked much lately.” The AI had been initially programmed to be formal and had never really gotten out of that habit.

  “My apologies.” They were chatting daily via the hyperspace relay, but she knew she hadn’t taken enough time to converse. “I’ve been busy recently. Do we have company?” Even couldn’t hide strain in her voice.

  “Yes. A scout-class ship awaits your crew near the asteroids. Another ship is hidden to the other side of the field, positioned for a pincer. From its signature, I’d surmise it’s a warship, but I don’t find the energy signature of heavy weaponry.”

  Even moved inside the lab while talking to the research section. She went through her old watchtower. Lights were blinking on most boards. Life was coming back in the old imperium planets. “If he had that type of firepower, he’d use different tactics. They must have been damaged.”

  “At least, it escaped your attack drones, the one you sent from Alkath. It remains an excellent ship,” Lexia said with humor. “Why are you here?”

  “He has released a nano plague on Dupner. Something we can’t cure unless we use this facility.”

  Lexia was back in business. “Care to share the analysis your team did? I’ll begin to work on it immediately.” Even sent the data across to the AI while checking the technical status of the station. It remained in good conditions but there were more and more parts needing repairs. Time. I’d have to do this anyway sooner or later. Better now while I can do it in good conditions.

  “Even?” The AI asked again minutes later.

  “Yes?” Her voice was gentle, loving. AI had gone crazy when left alone. Even had always cared for Lexia over the ages, defying her only edict.

  “I can build the antidote. It’s going to take a full day.” Even acquiesced. She had planned a little contingency. This was fine for her. The AI continued. “He’s not going to stop, you know. Whether he obtains this place or not, he’ll continue sending out plagues. Testing his templates.” Her voice was infinitely sad.

  Even stopped working and looked directly at the closest camera. “I know. You’re leaving with me. I’m blowing up the station.”

  Lexia gasped. “We can’t build your longevity serum anywhere. We don’t have the facility.”

  “I know. We may find some in the future. If not, I’ve had a long life.” Even had prepared a long time for this, coming to terms with this decision but unable to carry out until forced.

  “I can’t accept this.” Stubborn child.

  “You have to, Lexia. I’ll take you with me.” Then, she added in a soft voice a dream she hadn’t uttered since the day of her exile. “It’s time for me to find my way home. And for you to live in plain sight. Both of us have to move on.” She let the words sink in for a while before continuing, her voice firmer. “Let’s get back to work. You prepare the antidote and some serum, and I’ll work on our exit. Let’s make it grand.”

  Lexia chuckled and began to work, chatting with Even like a child reporting on her day at school. In the last twenty years, she had carried out a detailed analysis of the jump points energy fluctuation depending on the pilots. She was trying to find again the secret of jumping outside of the normal rules. Even listened, tears in the eyes. Her child was still growing, but who would care for her if she died?

  At last, the time came. She withdrew from the main console the small box that had protected all the essence of Lexia for so long and activated the self-destruct. Goodbye, home. You’ve carried me through the ages. Now, I’ll have to find my own way back.

  Lapren

  Blanel, 2141 AD, Second week of April

  The Federation ship seemed to crawl on his monitor through Blanel. At one time, Neht had offered him a sleeping pill to get some rest after he had paced the bridge for four uninterrupted hours. He felt trapped in this metal contraption, monitored by someone he had considered a son and who was only a drone. He had been in power too long to accept this easily.

  At last, the ship jumped a third time toward him, reaching the asteroid field where he had been hiding. “Emissions?” he asked his assistant.

  “Beyond the detection threshold. They’d have to know precisely where we are to find us.” The voice was bland, disembodied.

  Lapren resisted the urge to take control of the scout and rush to meet the little ship, and, instead, looked at him while it slowed and prepared a loop around the field. He ran different simulations to occupy his mind. From the course it took, at any time, a strong push of the engine would propel the ship into the field. Patience, you’re so close now. Don’t lose it out of spite. Patience.

  “Didn’t you tell me there’s a satellite beacon to light up the way?”

  The Other took over Neht. “Yes, there was.”

  “It will have to be within a half second or less of the entrance to guide a ship in. And It will be close to their current trajectory. Can you find it now?”

  There was a moment’s pause before the Other answered. “Tracking. I’m using both ships to triangulate. Congratulations, Priest. Frustration is good for you.”

  Lapren gritted his teeth and continued to monitor the incoming ship. He was now at the farthest point around the asteroids and would be coming back toward them at any moment now. This is now.

  “I’ve found the satellite. I’m initiating contact. Prepare to move.” Action, at last!

  Lapren settled into the acceleration couch, increasing the power output from the singularity, preparing it to bend gravity and propel the ship in any direction. A light flared on his screen as the Other’s ship pushed hard toward the satellite and the future entrance to the station. Coordinates came from the Other and he began to calibrate his push forward to join him in the dash to the labs.

  Suddenly, the Federation ship accelerated away from the field, instead of continuing toward it. Instinct took over and Lapren pushed his ship madly away from the field. A second later, it erupted with missiles. A trap, we’ve been set up. God damn it. She outsmarted you once again. At that time, he didn’t know if he was sad about his failure or happy about the Other being caught. You shouldn’t have tampered with Neht.

  All thoughts were pushed back as the scout recognized the missiles. Old imperium ship killers. They would jump behind him and track him until they took him down. He increased the push, sending the singularity into near instability. Full instability would instantly destroy the ship, but until then, he was accelerating as fast as the missile behind him. Explosions lit up the sky behind him.

  “The scout isn’t armed. What can we do?”

  Neht was shaking his head as if clearing it from a bad dream. “Trying out electronic countermeasures, Your Grace.” He busied himself with his console, Lapren elated at the return of his normal voice. Slowly the ship began to put a little distance between itself and the killers and to a
lign itself with a jump point, two hours away.

  “Nothing, Your Grace. They’re protected.”

  A cold voice echoed on the bridge. “Release water and fluid behind you, moron, and get away. We’ll meet on Volpre.” Lapren entered the maintenance menu and found the correct release. They were moving at a small fraction of the speed of light, and at this speed, the crystallized fog made an impenetrable barrier, which took out the four foremost missiles, half of the total arsenal.

  Lapren silently thanked the Other and adjusted the ship’s course. He had just enough lead to lessen the strain on the singularity. He might need it later for other traps. He also had to check where the jump point led, as he was unused to it. He opened a real-time view of the system and began to build his navigation path, projecting different routes out.

  Abruptly, a flash blinded him, the light dimmed automatically by the ship to avoid permanent optical damages. A small nova had exploded at the other side of the system in the middle of nowhere.

  “What is it, Your Grace?” Neht was dumbfounded.

  “She’s blown up the station we were looking for. She’s self-destructed it while setting this trap for us. The field was a decoy. The scout dropped her on her way in and will be retrieving her now. We’re in the middle of a war beyond us, Neht. Time to leave the scene, my son.” Decisions and plans had become clear to him. I’m going to escape your trap, you asshole, and you won’t catch me again.

  The other

  Blanel, 2141 AD, Second week of April

  “It will have to be within a half second or less of the entrance to guide a ship in. And it will be close to their current trajectory. Can you find it now?”

  The voice echoed hollowly on the bridge. The priest has a clever idea. He engaged a new search pattern on his console. “Tracking. I’m using both ships to triangulate.” Data began to pour in through a 3-D in the middle of the bridge. “You see, Priest. You can be useful. From time to time at least.”