“I'm sorry, I knew you were renaming it, but…” she shrugged and looked to Doctor Anderson, who smiled at her, waiting for her to continue. “I just don't see that ship as a Warpig.”
“Oh, you will,” he reassured as he took the controls and watched for the green light from Freeground Control.
The four of them quieted as Minh gently detached from the station and followed the preplanned trajectory to the wormhole Freeground Station was generating for them. They were among several ships leaving at the same time, but since Ayan was the focus of the assembly for the first session of the afternoon she had high priority.
Once they were inside the wormhole that would take them back to the colony, Doctor Milan turned to Ayan and put a comforting hand on the younger woman's arm. The therapist's blue vacsuit gloves were retracted, something she always did when she was speaking to a patient. “I'm sorry they didn't grant you ownership of everything form your old life.”
Ayan half smiled back at her and nodded. “I would have liked to see the logs from the last few years. It feels like I'm missing time. I'm just surprised my mother couldn't attend. She would have had some choice words for the Council when they announced I wouldn't be able to rejoin Freeground Fleet.”
“She's on the Paladin, running advanced missions in the blue belt,” Doctor Anderson said quietly. “Or so I've heard.”
“Was re-entry into the military something you really wanted?.” asked Doctor Milan.
Ayan thought about it for a moment. To her, just two weeks ago, she was busy working on the first two major developments in the new Special Projects Division she and Laura had restarted. It was still difficult to fully grasp that over five years had passed since then, great things had already been accomplished. That was the military she most recently knew, before that she was busy improving and maintaining starships. The sims came to mind, boarding operations, infantry, fighter and epic ship to ship battles all with Oz, Jason, Minh, Laura, and Jonas. Whether it was boots on the ground, rushing into an airlock or holding the engineering deck together while ships tried to blast each other into oblivion, it was always amazing with them. Those were simulations, she was well aware, and when it became a reality on the First Light it was so different and so much better.
“Ayan?” asked Doctor Milan gently.
“I miss the First Light. I missed it even when I was running Special Projects with Laura.”
Doctor Anderson and Doctor Milan shared a knowing look for a moment. The pair were subtle, but it was impossible for her to miss as she sat right between them.
Ayan sighed and tried not to sound as irritated as she was. If there was one thing she wouldn't permit, it was having things hidden from her. They'd have to realize she wasn't some delicate flower, especially after leaving her illness behind. “What is it?”
The low rumble of the engines accelerating the ship through the wormhole was the only sound in the cabin as the occupants to either side of her hesitated and Minh turned around.
Doctor Anderson cleared his throat and straightened in his seat. “Ayan, there's a position open on my staff if you'd like to work with me. I'm going to be busy for the next few years explaining how you were born. You have a firm understanding of the non-medical technologies involved, the ship, the wormhole and the rest of the systems. Would you be interested?”
Ayan was at a loss for words and just started trying to get a response together when Minh gave Doctor Anderson a confused look and turned around in the pilot's seat. There was nothing really for him to do there while the shuttle followed a strictly predetermined path through the wormhole, but his point was made. That wasn't what he or Ayan expected to hear from Doctor Anderson. Even if she did have the qualifications for the job she was being offered, and she did, Ayan would be the focus of attention for what she was, not what she knew.
The thought of being put on display for several years while Doctor Anderson and the rest of his team walked the rest of the scientific community through what they had accomplished was about as palatable as being a waste disposal technician. At the same time she didn't want to offend him or Doctor Milan. “I don't know,” was all she could say.
“Ayan, if you could pick anything, go anywhere, what would you do? Absolutely anything,” Probed Doctor Milan encouragingly.
She thought about it for a moment then delivered her response, looking her therapist right in the eye. “I'd join Laura on the Triton.”
“Yesss!” Minh exclaimed quietly.
“I don't know about going in the Gull though,” she smiled.
“It's called the Warpig now.”
“And you're going through with your trip Minh?” Doctor Milan asked.
“Unless there's a military blockade in my way I'll be gone as soon as the ship's ready.”
“You know Freeground can't officially know your intended destination, right?”
“Right. All anyone knows other than my sisters, Oz's sisters and some of their kids is that I'm headed somewhere into the core.”
“You always were the secretive type,” Ayan teased. She looked to Doctor Anderson apologetically; “I'm sorry, I just don't see myself answering questions about time compression or high powered emitter systems for the next few years.”
He smiled faintly. “That's all right, I understand. Honestly, I'm just sorry to see you go so soon.”
“I'm not sure if I'm going anywhere just yet,” Ayan reassured him.
There was that weak smile again. “I have strong ties with Freeground Intelligence, as you know. There's news.”
Ayan could tell from his demeanour that whatever the new development was, it wasn't good. “What's going on?”
“I'm clear to tell you this, believe it or not, but it can't go past this shuttle,” Doctor Anderson put a hand on Minh's chair and caught the younger man's eye. “I mean it, this can't get out.”
Minh nodded at him, matching his serious expression.
“All right then. Fleet has lost communications with everything we have in the Blue Belt. The Sunspire, the Paladin, the entire third battle group. It was some kind of virus according to the few ships that got away.”
“Got away? What do you mean, got away?” Ayan asked.
“The ships turned on the crews. Anything connected to an artificial intelligence including life support, automated weaponry, navigation, everything. The survivors are scattered, so there's no way to estimate casualties but we have special recovery teams on their way out there.”
“Did my mother make it out?”
“We don't know for sure but there's a good chance. The crew of the Paladin caught it early and the order to abandon ship was given quickly. Normally she'd hang on to an asset that size more tenaciously, but according to the report the Paladin's internal security systems are all connected to the three primary artificial intelligences aboard, staying wouldn't be a good command decision.”
“So people have already made it back from the Paladin? ”
“Yes, and there should be more coming.”
“I'll leave a message for my mother to contact me if she arrives in port,” Ayan said quietly, their relationship was cold at best, but she still needed to know her mother was all right.
“There's more I'm afraid,” Doctor Anderson said quietly.
Ayan just stared at him, expecting the absolute worst.
“Jason and Terry didn't make it to the Triton. They've had trouble with the AI on the Silkstream but they're all right. There's a planet named Pandem two thirds of the way there and they're hoping the Triton can meet them.”
“Is the Triton all right?”
“As far as we know, but everything else at that end of the galaxy without a Regent Galactic logo on it is being affected by this virus. Fleet Intelligence wants someone they can disavow to go join Jason and Terry. They have to have a military record, unofficial or not, so they can continue on after a rescue attempt to be Freeground's secret liaison to the Triton. They approached me to enlist you since you and Minh have strong ties.
They're also aware of the experience you have as an officer and regardless of what the Council's final ruling is they respect it and want you to be our diplomat aboard.”
“And they want me.”
“And Minh.”
Ayan lowered her head and just thought about it for a moment.
“You've only had two weeks to adjust, I'm sure they don't expect you to accept the assignment, especially not now,” said Doctor Milan reassuringly.
“Um, I'm not going alone,” Minh objected as he turned in his seat to face the three in the cabin behind more directly.
Ayan's thoughts wandered to the recordings of Jacob Valance, not the same man as Jonas, she knew, but she was certain there was something of Jonas left. More importantly, Laura was alone on the Triton, Jason and Oz could be in trouble and even though she would miss Doctor Anderson and everyone else she knew on Freeground, the Judiciary Council had just taken most of her opportunities away. The thought occurred to her then; Laura probably just watched me die. There's no way she knows I'm here, that I'm alive.
She steeled herself and said what any experienced officer should; “It's a bad command decision to send someone who is so emotionally involved on this kind of mission. What kind of favours did you have to promise to give us this assignment?”
Doctor Anderson regarded her at first with surprise then with a small, amused smile. “They approached me, I didn't even have to mention Minh, they knew he was already going. I think half of Freeground knows by now. In fact, when they requested that I approach you on their behalf I told them I wouldn't do it unless they provided me with a report on your mother's status. I was the one who squeezed them for a little more.”
“So why break well established intelligence methods? Why send someone whose emotionally attached?”
“They weighed that against the professionalism you've demonstrated over the years. You have a long history of service, shown that you can improvise, think on your feet. They also know that without some kind of history backing whoever they send to represent Freeground on the Triton, they'll be treated like a burden. At least if they send you they know they'll have a fighting chance, at least an observer and at best a voice.”
Ayan thought about it for a moment, knowing that Minh's eyes were staring expectantly. “I won't be their puppet. Even without their offer, which comes with no official rank or acknowledgement I'm sure, I'd want to join Laura on the Triton. I won't have any of their tracking devices, submit to any poking or prodding they might care to do before we leave and I'll only accept if we can do this our way.” Ayan said to Doctor Anderson quietly.
“I'll tell them those are your terms, from what I understand they'll accept.”
Minh grinned excitedly and turned back to the controls.
Ayan sighed and nodded to herself. “It's where I want to be. I want to get out there and I miss that whole bunch; Laura, Jason, Oz, and I have to see Jacob. At the least all of them deserve to know I'm alive and well. I've only been walking around for two weeks but I don't feel like I have any memory gaps. To me I was just promoted to Captain, the Special Projects Division is just beginning. Suddenly it's over, and everything's different. Everything surrounding Freeground feels complicated, sort of off.”
“You'll have to keep up your physical training on the way and when you arrive,” Doctor Milan told her. “Even though we did our best to sync the scan results with your body you still have a slightly different mental body image of yourself. Your brain isn't completely in sync with your muscle memory.”
Ayan lifted a lock of her curly blond hair and nodded. “That's pretty evident. I still expect this to be red until I see it in the mirror, but I've had infantry training before, I'll work through the physical challenges.”
“So, I hate to mention this, but you know it would take the Warpig a long time to get even a third of the way to the Triton, ” Minh interjected quietly.
“Intelligence will have the main wormhole generator on Freeground station create a high compression route, you'll be in orbit around Pandem in two or three days.”
Minh's eyes went wide, Ayan couldn't help but be surprised as well. “They can do that?” he asked.
“With a wormhole generator just short of two kilometres across, I'd hope so. It's just not something they flaunt considering how much energy it takes. They'll just say Ayan used an old Special Projects code.”
“Why all the secrecy?”
“Regent Galactic is threatening war if we send any help in Jacob Valance's direction. Freeground Intelligence is planning for the worst, however. With a third of our fleet down now, they want someone to go attempt to make amends with Captain Valance.”
Minh looked at Ayan and smiled. “I think they have the right idea. When do I get a repair crew for the Warpig? ”
“You won't be getting one, I'm sorry. It has to look like Ayan and you spend every credit you have to repair her and set off. Intelligence can give you some extra parts from the colony inventory, some personal equipment, but that's all.”
“How bad is the Warpig?” Ayan asked.
“With both of us working on it we should be ready in a couple days. It won't be pretty though.”
“A couple days? Are you sure?”
“Well, maybe a week.”
She looked to Doctor Anderson and batted her eyelashes. “Could I borrow a few credits?”
“I'm sure we can get a few people from the team who kept our ship running in the compression wormhole to give you a hand,” he replied with a chuckle.
Alaka Murlen
With cover fire coming from the resort built into the high cliff side Jason and Oz did their best to help dispatch the nearest mechanized soldiers. Their agility was nothing short of incredible, rolling and dodging so they could last a little longer against Oz and Jason's new allies. The mechanized soldiers didn't last long, however, and Oz managed to blast one in half before they were all down.
The pair turned back towards the cliff side and searched the darkened interior of the broken resort facade for any sign of their rescuers. “Do you see anyone?” Jason called out to Oz.
Oz magnified his view with the systems built into his vacsuit faceplate and after several seconds of searching only caught sight of an automated energy rifle on a tripod. “Nothing alive, but there's some automation in there.”
“Bots fighting for us?”
“No, just a portable gun.”
A faint whistling caught their attention then, and they looked back to the shoreline just in time to see several dark pods violently strike the sand then crack open. Fifteen thin limbed mechanized soldiers came to life and stepped out of each pod, ready to pick up where their fallen comrades had left off.
“Holy hell!” Jason called out.
“You said it!” Oz replied, dropping his empty rifle and drawing his sidearm.
“No, behind us!” Jason said, pointing at the cliff and ducking down low.
Oz turned around and caught a welcome sight. Several armoured nafalli, issyrians and angosians with their spiny, squat bodies were emerging from the broken resort with the support of several dozen humans.
In the lead the tallest of the nafalli carried a juryrigged fighter cannon at waist height, its power plant was slung across his back. His heavy armour was a collection of many different suits. “Run towards us! We won't be able to keep the shield open for long!” he called out through an amplifier that sent his booming voice echoing across the beach and beyond.
He opened fire, sending a solid beam of blue light towards the enemy landers, the sound of the weapon firing vibrated the air with its low hum. Everyone behind found what cover they could and opened fire as well, cutting into the new wave of mechanized soldiers as more pods began dropping from the sky.
Jason and Oz scrambled up the last fifty meters to the main doors of the resort. One old fashioned door was lopsidedly hanging off its hinges, and the interior was a blackened ruin.
“Fall back! Fall back to the shield perimeter!” The lead naf
alli called out. The order was repeated up and down the line, presumably because any radio or wireless signals were being jammed.
A slim hand reached out from behind a toppled counter and caught Jason. “Come on, it's this way!” said a young woman in light armour as she stood.
She led them through a maze of wreckage to a thick security door where several humans waited with rifles at the ready. They were escorted through scorched halls and ruined rooms before being rushed into a side room where a nafalli and several other humans waited. They were all armed, a few carried medical kits.
They were guided to mismatched chairs where they could watch the battle outside progress on a half broken two dimentional screen. There were hundreds of mechanized soldiers outside, the pods had stopped dropping only to be replaced with four engine shuttles that hurriedly landed, dropped off thirty soldiers at a time before turning and skimming back out across the water.
The nafalli with the starfighter weapon strapped to his side managed to destroy one incoming shuttle, sending it crashing just short of the waterline, but the mixed band of biologicals were in full retreat, most of them scurried back towards the resort.
A broad nafalli female quickly scanned Jason and Oz without saying a word, programmed a treatment into her medical pad and instructed a human to inject them with high grade medical nanobots.
“Thank you very much,” Jason said to her as she walked towards the door to get ready for more injured.
She didn't turn around, dismissively waving a hand instead.
“You'll have to excuse her, she's been tired ever since I met her,” said the young woman who had guided them inside.
“It looks like you've all been busy,” he replied with a gentle smile. He could feel the nanobots already working, repairing the burn damage to his arm. He was glad for the local anaesthetic in his hand just then, feeling that being repaired from the inside was an experience he'd rather live without.
The retreat was conducted in a quick and orderly manner. Groups ran back to predetermined positions and laid down cover fire as another group would run behind them, find relatively safe places to take shots at the oncoming mass of mechanized soldiers so the group furthest out could retreat. Within a minute everyone was behind the thick safety doors and the sound of the landing machines and marching soldiers outside was silenced.
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