Interstellar Starpilots

by F Stephan

  A minute passed by, then another, and a blip appeared on his schematics. “I’ve found the satellite.” He launched the preconfigured signal. “I’m initiating contact. Prepare to move.”

  The satellite answered with the coordinates to the entry path, and he pushed his ship toward the entry. I’m going to arrive before you, old crone. Obeying an old habit, he activated his defense console, checking for incoming threats from her ship.

  The entry in the field was just in front of him. It was only a matter of minutes now until he was back in his lab. Abruptly, blips appeared on the console in front of him. Awareness struck. She’s hidden the missiles in the field. Old Ancient missiles. Damn her.

  No human could have survived the twisting turn he forced upon his ship, pushing the singularity to the edge of destruction. No human could have rolled and turned so many times while decoys distracted his pursuers one by one. But, he wasn’t human anymore, hadn’t been since his arrival on Volpre, and he’d survived against all odds.

  You won’t force me away. I’ll be back.

  He began tracking everything else in the system and sent instructions to the priest. I can always make use of him later. Then, when he was reaching the edge of the system on his mad run, a small nova exploded on the other side of the system, light minutes away.

  Rage and despair fought inside in him while his ship disappeared through the jump point into another system. Destroyed, it’s destroyed. I’ll never be human again. It took him days of madness to escape the missiles, moving wildly away back to Volpre. At last, a little sanity returned, and he pushed his ship more sedately. I had a backup plan from the start. Time for it now. This isn’t the last time you hear from me, Even!

  Mathias

  Dupner, 2141 AD, Second week of April

  “I have new arrivals. Do we have any room left for them?” Mathias looked up, realizing the question was for him. He was overwhelmed by the many tasks he had taken over during the last weeks since the crisis had begun. Alia Wela was looking at him. Her eyes were bloodshot and her face too pale. He knew she hadn’t slept more than two hours at a time over the last weeks since the plague had been identified.

  “How many?” People were trickling into the hospital every day now. They had prepared many accommodations to manage the crowd they were expecting, and on this planet, where computers were not well regarded, suddenly Mathias’s skills had become highly valuable. He was now the liaison between all hospitals, medical companies, and remote doctors and nurses. He was also in charge of all beds.

  He nodded to his assistant Lyren. A week before, he had found someone to help him and to take over if he were to die. He wasn’t afraid, not anymore. He had been initially terrified when the news had broken out. But Allia had come looking for him with so many needs, so many places where he could make a difference. Since then, he helped as he could, trying to forget the inescapable end.

  “Ten. A large holding west of here.”

  “Ten. Let me . . .” In an instant, he called up the map and confirmed a free section. “Wing C, room 402.” She was writing it on her pad when a thought struck Mathias. He said gently, “Alia?”

  “Yes?”

  “Could you ask someone to retrieve all locations everyone is arriving from? In the spread pattern, we could maybe find a point zero where the plague started and find whoever released it.” He had an idea for a new search algorithm. Maybe that would help them find the instigator of all of this.

  She shook her head. “I should have thought of that earlier. Yes. You’ll have the results in an hour. What are you working on?”

  “I’ve just finished a program to optimize the distribution of the antidote when the Federation will bring it.”

  She was fumbling with her pad, not leaving as she usually did.

  “Is there something else?” he inquired.

  Her eyes were shining. “You should go and see Warren. Lyren can support us for an hour.”

  Suddenly, his hands shook. “An hour?”

  “You won’t have much more time than that. After that, we’ll put him under. I don’t want to see him suffer needlessly. Go, love, and tell him goodbye.”

  Mathias rose like a robot and went to the wing closeby where his friend was now facing the last stage of the illness. The jovial man couldn’t speak anymore, his face distorted by the agony despite the medicine he was receiving. Hate swelled in him uncontrollably. On Earth, his actions had led to havoc and chaos. Here, he would atone for his deeds. I’m going to help them. But more than that, I’m going to find whoever released this and bring them to justice.

  Sister Shadow

  Dupner, 2141 AD, Second week of April

  For weeks, she had been trapped in the spaceport. She had seen a shuttle take off, defying the interdiction, and she had witnessed its explosion high in the sky a few minutes later. It had made for a nice fireworks display, shocking all the town beyond belief. She had rejoiced in their death at that time. Then, she had seen the field hospital, and they had begun scouting the city for everyone with medical knowledge. She had had to face the truth. The bastards had released a form of plague, something strong enough to activate the planetary quarantine. And with her death, all proof would disappear.

  While others still denied the truth, she had volunteered to help in the main cafeteria early on. Better to volunteer quickly than be requisitioned. And in the worst situation, people in the cafeterias at least ate. She was paranoid, had always been. She was also a survivor. I’ve already survived uncontrolled nanites. I’ll survive this cursed sickness. With all their researchers, they should be close to a cure now.

  Anger swelled in her and she walked out for a bit of fresh air. “Lapren, you traitor, I’ll have your ass, one way or another.” People were beginning to watch her. She had been muttering to herself and that wasn’t good. She quickly went back in, smiling to the others. She would have to move on soon, blend in, and disappear. Someone might find a trace of her in Nozap but not farther than back to the spaceport if she could help it. She had to wait for the cure and then leave for revenge.

  Later that day, while she rode the train back to Wepol, a red smoke rose behind her. She smiled beatifically, picturing the cries and suffering she left behind her.

  Brian

  Ullem, 2141 AD, Third week of April

  All crews had reached Ullem and were now waiting for Attaché Even, attached to the central station. Many were gathered in the main lounge, talking about the emergency. Brian, for his part, had called up all the maps of the different star systems to Dupner in the main bridge. He was crouching on an intermediate system, tracking another route jump by jump. The other pilots were confident only a bundle of routes could carry them around a small cluster of stars directly in their path. It would lead to Baol and onward to their remote destination. But Loupiac had raised a doubt in Brian. There was a route across the nebula even if only a madman would take it. He wanted to be sure there were no others. Liliana hovered at the back of the room, looking at him and biting her nails.

  “That won’t help, you know?” Brian told her in a murmur.

  “Three weeks to reach Dupner. Ninety percent of the population will be dead by then. We need to make it in one week. I know I’ve said dreadful things about my planet . . .” He nodded. She had already told him. This was the twentieth time.

  “But it’s your family and you’ll do whatever you can to save all of them,” Brian said slowly, compassionately. She needs an option. “Look here.” He pointed at a cloud of stars. “This is called the winged cluster. It’s blocking us.” He highlighted in red the usual routes. “It forces us into this loop above it. I’m trying to find a shorter loop, closer to the edge. No success yet.”

  “And through it? Have you looked?” Brian thought for a long moment, pacing around the different maps. “Brian, have you found something?” Liliana persisted.

  “Yes, I have. But it’s crazy and I’m not even sure it can work.” He showed her his path. She gasped.

  �
��Do you want me to gather everyone to decide? Will you face fire for me, Brian?” Liliana was looking at him intently, tears streaming from her eyes.

  “Please, not yet. I may find another option to submit. I’ll explain it all before we fly off. I promise. Let them load the shuttle inside. It can reach Dupner’s station, even from far. If we find a way there, they’ll have landers.” I’ve got to find something else. Just thinking of his idea made him want to cower and hide.

  Brian was still searching for options when Emily reached the station. Soon after, the antidote was being distributed to all ships while doctors attended training on its use in the main wheel. Sunray and Chilin had been called to the station to fetch last-minute provisions before flying off. Brian had stopped his fruitless analysis to begin the preflight checks when the bridge chimed. “Permission to come abroad?” He knew the voice. Attaché Even.

  “Welcome, Attaché.” Brian released the airlock for her and walked down to the entrance of the ship through an inflatable corridor five hundred meters long. She took a few minutes to move out of the station and reach him.

  Brian was puzzled, as he’d never expected her to visit him. “What can I do for you, Madam?”

  “I’ll be quick. I understand from Loupiac you may try to fly outside the normal trade routes. Dupner will die if no one can make the trip in less than three weeks. If you’ve found a way across the cluster, it may make a real difference.” He nodded. “I have here an old computer from an Ancient derelict ship.” She held out a small box. “It could help on the way.”

  “What help can it provide?” Brian had found one route, but he would need all the help he could get along the way.

  “Based on what we have found, it can fly without you between jumps. You’ll be able to rest after exiting into a new system and if the strain makes you faint, it’ll take care of your crew.”

  What did Loupiac tell her? Does she know where I want to go?

  “But how does it work, how can I link it to the ship?”

  “Simple enough. The Ancients believed in standardization. You have specific slots for extra computing devices. You’ll command it with your voice or through your console. Its name is Lexia.”

  “Thank you. Are you sure you want to do this? I may have a route, but it’ll be extremely dangerous. The ship may not survive.”

  “Well, it may make the difference you need to succeed. No one else will dare attempt what you consider. Lexia is a powerful entity.”

  “I’ll do my best.”

  Even looked at him with her eyes blazing and nodded. “I’m sure you will.” She handed him a small piece of paper, an oddity in this electronic world. “Lastly, here is the emergency code for this ship. It will allow you to engage the full capabilities of this scout. Be warned. You can’t survive this mode with your nanites for more than a few minutes. Use the code well.” She had particularly stressed the word you, chilling Brian. With that, she left the ship quietly, as if this was business as usual.

  Four hours later, ten ships took off from the station. Nine accelerated toward the usual path, racing toward the jump point. The last changed at the last minute for another route.

  Heikert

  Fizhert, 2141 AD, Third week of April

  On the other side of the Federation, a scout emerged in the Fizhert system, immediately warned not to approach the main settlement. A satellite was located close to the jump points, collecting data from the incoming ships and adding it to the local Core Data Sphere.

  “What are we doing here, Master? If I may ask?” Bolgaren had been tiptoeing for half an hour behind Master Heikert before he got the nerve up to ask this question. From the other side of the scout, Moonlight launched a “He’ll tell you when he’s ready” that made Heikert smile inwardly.

  The geek turned toward her. “This system is creepy, Moon.” Diminutives, now? “There was a rogue AI in here!”

  “It can’t attack you on the outskirts of the system. They blasted the planet. Look at it.” Moonlight called up a 3-D of the planet, relayed by the surveillance satellites.

  Master Heikert completed his work and turned toward the hacker. At last, I’ll find my answers. This is the end of the road.

  “Anyone with us?”

  “System is empty now. I suppose they went to Lelet with the expeditionary force.” Bolgaren was sour faced. He had wanted to go with them, only to be refused flatly by the operation’s commander, a tall core worlder who had taken an instant dislike to him.

  “We need your skills, my dear Bolgaren,” soothed Master Heikert.

  “What?” Apprehensive, fearful yet excited. He really couldn’t stay away from a hack. Handy young man too bright for his own good. No wonder he ended up working for the attaché.

  “We’re going for the secondary communication satellite, a backup of the main satellite. We believe it may have remained untampered because the Federation dropped it without telling the Origin.”

  “Naughty, aren’t we? Since when does the Federation act like this?” Mistress Moonlight had joined them, clearly interested in their next tasks.

  “Since they didn’t trust the Origin, in charge of an isolated system.”

  “So, this satellite will contain all data from the primary satellite? Without alterations?” Bolgaren’s smile was broadening.

  “Yes. We already know the data was edited in the primary. But the hack will have had issues replicating itself to the secondary satellite. They are configured differently on purpose. So, the trace might still be in the memory banks.” When he had learned about this, Heikert had been as surprised as his crew was now. The Federation was built on trust, not on secret data replication. Yet, on this occasion, it would prove useful. “Quick contact, check, and back home to Volpre in twenty-four hours.”

  Three days later, he knew he had been overconfident. The satellite they were looking for was a small three-meters-wide ball orbiting a large asteroid on the outskirts of the system. They had missed it twice already, a tiny dot in the background. He swore and cursed, but this time, he would reach it. Bolgaren had required physical access to obtain the information they needed. And if the hacker needed it, he would deliver.

  Vector fine, orbit nice. Don’t overshoot. That’s it. Let the gravitational field from the asteroid grab us. Small push ahead. Nose correction, slow again. Not too slow. Don’t hit the rock, stupid.

  It had seemed easy enough from a distance, but he hadn’t done this type of precise piloting in twenty years, and he felt rusty. At least the last course corrections were good, and he found himself a kilometer away from the satellite.

  Moonlight called from her seat, “I’ve engaged the reconnaissance protocols. Give me a few minutes to get the satellite to acknowledge us.” Even had given him the precious codes that would allow them entry.

  As soon as she gave him the go-ahead, he brought the ship down to ten yards away. By that time, Bolgaren was already suited up and outside.

  “You can throw the line,” Heikert called to the hacker.

  “Done. Missed. Okay, the first time doesn’t count.” Behind him, Heikert heard Moonlight laugh.

  “Clumsy as he is, we’ll be lucky if he succeeds before his fourth or fifth attempt.”

  “You’re hard on him. He went pretty fast in empty space.”

  “No, Master. Realistic only. And he only went for one of the biggest hacks you can find around here.”

  The line stuck on the third launch and a few minutes later, Bolgaren was inside the satellite, hooking himself to the main console. The data he analyzed began to appear on the bridge through their relay.

  “Okay, now search for a ship that arrived within this date range.” Anxiety rose like a tsunami within Heikert, but he forced himself to calmly transmit the dates.

  Minutes ticked by. “Okay. I’ve found something. Oh, amateurs.” He cackled.

  “What?” asked Moonlight, annoyed by his laughter.

  “They deleted the ID and name of the ship in the log, not the entry. Our refere
nces in the system are always with those two inputs. So, nothing showed up under normal search patterns. We’re dumb sometimes.”

  “So, what have you found?” Heikert couldn’t wait.

  “All types of data. Transferring them to you right now. Moonlight?”

  “Yes. I’ve got all the data you sent, you can come back. Unless you think you can find something else?” Bolgaren didn’t answer and Moonlight began a search on the star system where the meeting had taken place. She brightened. “I’ve got our ship’s signature. Can you grab everything else about it? Back thirty years in the past at least?”

  “Wonderful. I’m on it.” No sense in denying the hacker of a little fun and who knew what he would find out?

  “I’m transferring it to you as well. It has been ranging far and wide. Thirty years ago, hmm, it flew around Volpre’s sector with another, larger ship. Even to some remote systems. Even to an old abandoned Ancient station.”

  A sudden coldness overtook Heikert. “Could you send the image over the main screen?”

  “Yes, straight away.” In front of the master appeared the station he had been stranded in when his wife had died. Heikert sunk to the floor, weeping openly. At last, I’ve found it. Lapren, I’m coming for you!

  Mathias

  Dupner, 2141 AD, First week of May

  In the last week, Dupner had finally gone into its final collapse, worsened by the lack of technology and the small population. It just didn’t have the capacity to fight the plague. The death toll was rising. Some fled to hide. They would be dead soon, Mathias knew. This was not a natural illness. It was a nanoplague, self-replicating machines bent on death. Most remained hopeful for a miracle, praying, maintaining whatever semblance of life they could. There were also outbreaks of violence from people who could not bear the impending doom, and security forces tried to keep order as best as they could. But these efforts would soon not to be enough to matter anymore.