by Jake Bible
“Oh, no, I’m perfectly fine here chatting with Dr. Morganton,” Boris said.
“I can see that, but how about you walk anyway,” Lucy said. “I’d appreciate it.”
Boris appeared quite confused for a moment then nodded and stood up.
“Oh, my hips are smarting,” Boris said. “Not as young as I once was. Perhaps you and I can speak about bioalternative enhancements for my hips? Make me feel my youth again?”
“I’ll put some thought into that,” Dr. Morganton replied. “You two have fun on your walk.”
As soon as Boris’s back was to her, Dr. Morganton mouthed the words, “Thank you.”
Lucy smiled and gave a quick nod as Boris clapped his hands together and looked one way then the other.
“Not much space to cover,” he said. “Which way?”
“I was going this way,” Lucy said. “See how the two elves are doing with Ronald as they work on that new armor.”
“Ah, yes,” Boris said as Lucy started walking. “I was going to assist in the project, but I am afraid non-organic materials are simply not my interest or expertise. I applaud Ronald for stepping outside his scientific comfort zone, if you will, and exploring new fields and technologies. But, for me, all I need is a double helix, or perhaps a triple helix, if I’m feeling ambitious, and a powerful electron microscope and I am happy as a clam.”
He stopped and grabbed Lucy by the shoulder, bringing her to an instant halt.
“Boris, let go of my arm,” Lucy said.
Boris let go.
“My apologies,” Boris said. “But, I was thinking of the incredible razor clam and mantis shrimp hybrid I once made. Unfortunately, I could not get the new animals to breed and they died out since I simply was not going to keep recreating them in a petri dish, thank you very much. A new species has to be able to procreate and survive on its own or it simply is not worthy of living in this world.”
“I can think of a few people where being able to procreate should disqualify them from living in this world,” Lucy said.
Lucy continued walking and pulled Boris along with her as he was about to launch into his story of the hybrid.
“Hello,” Lucy said as soon as they reached the work station where Moshi and Ronald were working. “How’s it going?”
“Depends,” Ronald said and sighed.
“Oh dear,” Boris said.
“Oh dear, indeed,” Ronald replied. “If you want armor, we have that. Lasers? That did not work out.”
“What happened?” Lucy asked.
Ronald lifted his left arm and showed her his tricep. The hair was mostly singed down to the skin.
“Ouch,” Lucy said.
“Yes. We could not get the power supplies to couple correctly with the prism complex. Moshi is a genius, but even she could not get the components to work together.”
“Sometimes not compatible,” Moshi said and shrugged.
“But you have armor?” Lucy asked. “You have a prototype I can see?”
“Many,” Moshi said and pointed at a stack of black material off to the side of the work station table. “Try one on.”
“Sure,” Lucy said. “You have one in my size?”
She went to the pile and grabbed the top bundle. The armor looked like a bulky version of the compression suits. A single garment like a wet suit, but with considerably thicker material. Each joint was reinforced with triple layers of the same material.
“One size fit all,” Moshi said.
“Okay, if you say so,” Lucy said. “I’m not exactly petite, so I better not get stuck in this shit.”
Lucy stripped down to her underwear, causing Boris to yelp and turn away.
“Do not be so prude, Boris,” Ronald said as he worked at adding a second layer of material to the elbow of a new set of armor. “We all work and live together in tight quarters. Modesty is highly inefficient.”
“You got that right,” Lucy said. “You have no idea how many times I’ve had to drop trou and get down to my civvies in front of a dozen men. You get the job done any way you can.”
Lucy slipped her legs into the suit then pulled it up over her body. At first, it felt like it was going to be too small, but the material stretched to fit her and sealed itself up over her back without need of a zipper. Lucy stretched her arms over her head and the arms adjusted to a perfect fit. Same with the legs when she did a couple of deep knee bends.
“This feels like a second skin,” Lucy said to Moshi. “How does it look?”
“Adjust down there,” Moshi said, turning red as she glanced away from Lucy’s crotch.
“Ah. Got ya,” Lucy said and shifted her pelvis around in a couple of circles. “Better?”
“Yes,” Moshi said and giggled.
Boris looked like he was going to faint.
“Now, what about the head?” Lucy asked. “The armor will be useless if I take a bullet between the eyes.”
“Ingrid,” Moshi said and pointed at the next stack of shelves.
“What?” Ingrid called.
“Coming to you,” Lucy said and headed around the stacks to where Ingrid was working at another work station. “Ah, there we go.”
“I think I got the short straw,” Ingrid said as she finished clipping a wire up inside a matte black helmet. “How many suits do they have done?”
“Eighteen,” Moshi called from her work station.
“Shit,” Ingrid said. “I have three helmets. Not cool, Moshi! Slow down!”
“No,” Moshi said. “You hurry up.”
“Can I try one on?” Lucy asked, nodding at one of the three finished helmets.
“Yeah, sure,” Ingrid said. “Be careful sliding over your ears. The helmets need a tight seal to work with the suit and keep the wearer from being detected. So the helmet’s base gasket is extra thick and may drag on your ears.”
“I’ll be careful,” Ingrid said. “Does it have full com integration?”
“That is something you can test,” Ingrid said. “Let me know.”
Lucy pulled on the helmet. Despite Ingrid’s warning, her ears took a beating. She thought the left one would rip right off before she could get the helmet past it.
“Phew,” she sighed when the helmet sealed itself against the suit’s collar. “Testing com. Can anyone hear me?”
Ingrid gave her a quizzical look and shook her head. The woman’s mouth was moving, but Lucy couldn’t hear a word.
“Dammit,” Lucy said and tapped at where her right ear was then made the universal sign for no go, a horizontal chopping motion with her hand flat and palm down.
Ingrid nodded and grabbed a tiny screwdriver from the work station. She reached up and popped something open on the side of the helmet. Lucy couldn’t see what Ingrid was doing. She could feel it, though, as her head was tugged this way, pushed that way, then given a hard smack.
“How’s that?” Ingrid asked, her voice loud and clear. And in stereo.
“Whoa,” Lucy said. “Nice. It sounds like you’re in here with me. Why the stereo?”
“There are external omnidirectional mics on the helmet,” Ingrid said. “Stereo gives you a sound field so you can hear if something is sneaking up on you. I can dial in the sensitivity so that you hear sounds you normally wouldn’t. Could have its advantages, but also could get loud and distracting.”
“Let’s keep the sound level to human for now,” Lucy said.
She was about to speak again when a distinct shout from the front of the Toyshop got her and Ingrid’s attention.
“That was Carlos,” Ingrid said as she turned and hurried away.
“He was checking on a weird blip I saw,” Lucy called after her.
She struggled to get her helmet off, but Ingrid had already left, so she left it where it was and hurried away through the stacks to the main control console area.
“Is it the blip?” Lucy asked. “What’d you find?”
“As I was about to inform everyone,” Carlos said, looking disdainfully
upon the crowd that had him boxed in at the console. “We have received a communication. From Kinsey.”
“Hello?” Kinsey’s voice echoed out of the console’s speakers. “Carlos? Am I on speaker? I need everyone to hear this?”
“Kinsey? Where are you?” Lucy asked. “Who’s with you? Who made it?”
“Lucy? You sound weird. What’s wrong?” Kinsey replied.
“I’m stuck in some elf tech,” Lucy said.
“No explanation needed,” Kinsey said. “But I do need all of you to listen very carefully. In about twenty minutes—” A voice interrupted her. “What? Shit. In about ten minutes, you are going to be discovered by one of Wire’s patrol boats. We are pretty fucking certain that she doesn’t have a capture order in place. She’s going to take the Toyshop, kill all of you, and plunder that place for every ounce of tech she can get her hands on.”
“She wants the item,” Moshi said. “Wire won’t get it.”
Moshi shoved through everyone and disappeared.
“Was that Moshi? Yeah, Wire wants some item,” Kinsey said. “Not sure what. But that doesn’t matter. What matters is I’m with people that are part of all this. Ballantine and his fucking convoluted plans.” Another interruption. “Fuck off, will ya? You haven’t had to live with the guy for that past two years.”
“Kinsey? We’re sitting ducks,” Lucy said. “We don’t have a way to defend ourselves if they do—”
The rest of Lucy’s sentence was drowned out by a loud grinding noise and a high-pitched whine that filled the Toyshop. Everyone slapped their hands to their ears. Lucy didn’t even flinch. Whatever tech Ingrid had put in the helmet’s com system automatically filtered out the worst of the noise.
“What the fuck was that?” Kinsey asked. “You guys still there? Were you attacked?”
“I don’t think so,” Lucy said with honest uncertainty.
“Moshi!” Carlos shouted. He got up and shoved everyone out of his way as he rushed back into the stacks.
“Hold on,” Lucy said.
“Hold on? Lucy, are you fucking kidding me?” Kinsey yelled, her voice causing a brief squeal of feedback in the console speakers. “Lucy!’
Lucy followed everyone as they made their way to the very back of the Toyshop. Seated in what looked like a pilot’s chair, but way more high tech, was Moshi. Her hands were on two joysticks and she had a pair of heavy-duty goggles covering her eyes. There was also a bank of screens directly in front of her.
“Ingrid has countermeasures,” Moshi said. “Lucy is on weapons. I am pilot. Patrol boat is going down.”
From far off at the front of the Toyshop, Kinsey was yelling for someone to answer her. No one did as they stood and stared at Moshi.
“Now!” Moshi snapped.
All bodies were in motion instantly. Those not assigned duties scrambled about like chickens with their heads cut off. The two women that were assigned duties took their seats and got to work.
“Uh…” Lucy said as she studied the controls before her.
“Oh, I know these interfaces. Way to go, Moshi! Here, Lucy, let me show you,” Ingrid said. “It’s way simple.”
“I hope so,” Lucy said.
“It is,” Moshi said.
“Moshi? What have you done to the Toyshop?” Carlos yelled. “Where did this come from? Were you hiding these chairs and these controls in those crates where you sit and eat your lunch every day?”
“Go away,” Moshi said.
Carlos started to argue, but Moshi’s goggled head swiveled to stare at him and he flinched then fled. Moshi returned her attention forward.
“Enemy sighted,” Moshi said. “Prepare to engage.”
“Holy shit,” Ingrid said. “Oh, this is so, so scary.”
“Gets the blood pumping, though,” Lucy said and smiled. Even though no one could see her smile inside the helmet. She’d have to figure out how to get it off, but that was for later.
Familiar crosshairs came to life on the controls in front of Lucy and her hidden smile widened.
***
“Sir? We have a lock on where we believe Ballantine’s submergible workshop may be hiding,” a man said as he swiveled in his chair to face the captain of Wire’s patrol boat. “Approximately half a click to the east, sir.”
“Helm, take us there,” the captain said. “We might be able to get what we’re here for and back to the island by morning. If we’re lucky.”
“Should I report back, sir?” the man at the com station asked. “Alert Wire to our success?”
“We aren’t successful yet, moron,” the captain replied. “When we have the tech in hand, and Ballantine’s people are dead, then we report. You want to give an early report to Wire and risk getting our asses handed to us if things go wrong?”
“No, sir. Sorry, sir,” the man replied.
“Good,” the captain snapped. “Weapons? How are we looking? Can we damage the workshop without fully destroying it? We need to scare them up out of it so we aren’t having to cut our way inside. It’d be easier if they surrender.”
“From the specs we were given, yes, I should be able to crack the nut, but not split it open,” the woman at the weapons station responded. “Once seawater starts pouring, they’ll come to the surface and open the door for us. No one wants to be submerged when taking on water. Their instinct to head to the surface will be their death.”
“Really dramatic,” the captain said. “Just say yes next time, dammit.”
“Sir, there is movement in the water,” the first man said. “I believe the workshop is surfacing on its own.”
“Makes our job easier,” the captain replied. “Prepare boarding party. I want a hole in that thing before the hour is up.”
“Sir…”
“Were my orders hard to understand?”
“No, sir, it isn’t that. It’s… Well, sir, the workshop is moving. Towards us.”
“Moving? It isn’t supposed to be mobile. How is it moving?”
“I’m not sure, sir. But it is.”
“Heading right for us?”
“Right for us, sir. And it looks like—Incoming! Sir, they have launched torpedoes!”
“What the fuck do you mean they launched torpedoes? It’s a goddamn box!”
***
“Moshi?” Lucy said as she watched the torpedoes race away from the Toyshop, both heading straight for the incoming ship. “Why didn’t you tell us the Toyshop already had full helm and weapons?”
“Ballantine,” Moshi replied. “Shush. Driving.”
“Technically, it would be piloting since the Toyshop is now a water craft,” Ingrid said. “You pilot water crafts.”
“That’s not shushing,” Moshi said.
“You’ve been listening to Thorne too much,” Lucy said and laughed. “The ship has launched countermeasures. We’re going to lose both torpedoes. Preparing to launch two more then sighting with…what is this exactly?”
“Plasma cannon,” Moshi said. “Makes a big hole. Very big hole. Goes for miles. Don’t miss.”
“Miles? What the hell does that mean?” Lucy exclaimed.
“You miss, plasma keeps going until it dissipates or hits new target,” Moshi said. “Still has bugs to work out.”
Lucy’s hand moved away from the plasma cannon controls. “Let’s put that on the back burner.”
“They’ve launched torpedoes too!” Ingrid cried. “Oh, shit. Oh, shit. Oh, shit!”
“Then launch countermeasures,” Lucy said. “That’s what you’re there for.”
“Launch green button then drive,” Moshi said. “Pilot, I mean. Pilot countermeasure.”
“Pilot what?” Lucy asked. “Never mind. Ingrid? Do what she says.”
“Launching countermeasures,” Ingrid said and pressed the green button. The screen in front of her switched from scanner mode to video feed. “Oh, this is cool.”
“What are you looking at?” Lucy asked.
“Water drone,” Moshi said. “Send it at
ship.”
“Fun,” Ingrid said as she took hold of two joysticks and began piloting the water drone straight at the incoming torpedoes. “They’re supposed to lock onto this, right, Moshi?”
“Yes,” Moshi replied.
“Damn,” Lucy said. “You been holding out on us, girl. Next time, let your sisters in on this shit so we can play with it and make it better.”
“Okay,” Moshi said. “I will.”
“Sweet,” Ingrid said.
Ingrid concentrated on the screen in front of her and piloted the drone directly between the two incoming torpedoes.
“They are launching more,” Lucy said. “How many water drones we got?”
“Only one,” Moshi said. “No problem. Push yellow button.”
Ingrid didn’t hesitate. She pushed the yellow button.
The video feed split into four different views.
“Big drone now small drones,” Moshi said.
“Four? How am I supposed to pilot four drones, Moshi?” Ingrid asked.
“Don’t know,” Moshi said. “Figure it out.”
“Yeah, Ingrid, figure it out,” Lucy said with a laugh.
Ingrid figured it out.
She switched back and forth from one drone to the next in a rapid-fire clicking of buttons and a flurry of joystick moves. The first two torpedoes locked onto one of the drones while the next set of torpedoes continued on their path towards the Toyshop.
“Taking the party to you,” Ingrid said as she piloted the drone being followed at the still incoming ship’s hull. The keel could easily be seen by the drone’s video feed and Ingrid aimed directly for it. “Impact in twenty seconds.”
***
“Sir! Two of our torpedoes are coming back at us!”
“What?” the captain yelled. “How the hell is that possible?”
“I don’t know, sir, but scanners show they changed directions about halfway to the target.”
There was a massive explosion in the water a few meters out and the ship shook slightly.
“Enemy torpedoes have been destroyed, sir!”
“Good! How many more incoming?”
“Two more, sir. And I am detecting a power reading from the target. I don’t know the energy signature, sir. It’s a wave line I’m not familiar with.”