"That may not make a huge difference," Jason mumbled as he walked by on the way to his quarters.
Chapter 16
Sitting in the pilots seat, Jason felt a growing sense of dread as the counter ticked off the final few minutes before the ship would drop back into real-space. He felt well rested and he had his friends around him, but none of them had ever made a landing either so for now they were more or less useless. Crusher had claimed the copilots seat and Doc was sitting at one of the sensor stations. 777 seemed to have an aversion to sitting, so he stood behind Jason's seat so he could see both the displays and the view outside.
The brief flash and lurch Jason now associated with slip transitions marked their arrival into the destination system. He gave the instruments a glance while the canopy returned to translucent before engaging the grav-drive and angling them onto a course to intercept the fourth planet; a massive, rocky "super-Earth" that had a habitable, but deserted moon orbiting it. The planet itself also harbored life, but the massive gravity would be deadly to all of them.
Easing the ship into a low orbit, Jason asked the computer to begin scanning the surface and, sure enough, they spotted the cargo ship his friends had taken from The Vault. Still using the grav-drive, he slowed the ship further and dipped the nose down to begin entering the atmosphere. He could opt to use a tremendous amount of power and simply stop the ship and descend straight to their landing target, but any ship in the system would see them on their sensors if they were looking for any gravitational anomalies.
Once they had burned through the upper atmosphere, Jason took manual control of the ship and started flying them towards the beacon on his display that indicated where the cargo ship was. Flying the DL7 wasn't as difficult as he had imagined, but it certainly wasn't something he would have been able to figure out on his own.
He overflew the cargo ship and saw a few dozen aliens standing in the tall grass and waving enthusiastically at them. He pulled the gunship into a tight circle and tried to bring it to a hover. He soon realized, however, that possessing the knowledge of how to fly the ship and having the muscle memory and instincts honed from countless hours of experience were two very different things. The nose dipped precariously causing the drives to whine in protest as they fought to level the ship out. Then he overcorrected and brought the nose up too sharply and began to bleed off precious altitude as they slid backwards. Thankfully his companions kept quiet save for the occasional muttered curse or sharp intake of breath as Jason was finally able to get the ship back under control after some more unintended aerobatics and began a wobbly descent to the surface. He cycled the landing gear at one-hundred feet and let the computer take over as the DL7 touched down with a gentle bump.
"Well that wasn't so bad," Jason said to himself. Turning to his crewmates he asked, "Was it?" Nobody answered as they walked off the bridge. He thought he heard Crusher mutter something about wishing he had been back in his stasis pod. "Everybody's a critic," he said as he secured the drives and leveled the ship on its landing gear. The last thing he did was release the security hold on the cargo ramp before departing the bridge.
He made his way back to the cargo bay by way of the armory, grabbing a plasma sidearm and his railgun. He didn't necessarily distrust the former prisoners outside, but he didn't exactly trust them either. He walked out and saw the ramp was already down and most of the passengers had already disembarked. A larger-than-life laugh coming from just outside let Jason know Twingo had arrived to greet them. Smiling, he broke into a jog to go meet up with his friend as he slung the rail gun over his shoulder. Twingo and Doc were already trying to compare who had the harder time of escaping The Vault when he walked down the ramp. Kage and Crusher stood by as spectators and 777 had moved somewhat apart from the others, appearing uncertain as to what he should be doing.
"Nice landing, Jason! We were all about to take cover back in the ship before you finally got this beast under control," Twingo called out with a laugh.
"Piss off," Jason laughed as he grabbed the engineer into a bear hug, lifting him off the ground. They all laughed good naturedly at Jason's expense and were generally in high spirits, they had pulled it off and the natural high from an accomplished mission was potent.
"You won't believe what's in that ship," Twingo was saying, "it wasn't just stasis pods; the bosses had cargo containers full of precious metals and other high-value items. We've released all the prisoners, staged all the cargo, and dumped the pods."
"So do they have a full flight crew for that ship?" Jason asked. When Twingo and Kage both nodded Jason continued, "I figure once they get it unloaded they can board and head to whichever civilized planet they choose, most of them were taken against their will and aren't criminals, let's leave it to the authorities to start getting them back home. Otherwise, we'll be ferrying them back and forth for years."
"That's a good idea, but how do they explain how they obtained the ship and fled The Vault without getting us involved?" Doc asked.
"We still have the dead flight crew and some of Bondrass' men, they can spin it that a pod malfunctioned and they were able to release the others and overpower the crew, stealing the ship," Twingo offered.
"It's fairly weak," Jason said with a frown. "But, it's the best we have. Get with the replacement flight crew and try to hash out the details and then tell everyone else they didn't know anything until they were brought out of stasis, which is more or less the truth."
"So what's next for us?" Twingo asked. Doc cut Jason off before he could even open his mouth fully to speak.
"There's still one more thing we should do before we call this done," Doc said quickly. "Bondrass wasn't just into abduction and trafficking. Part of what I did for him involved some pretty heavy, and illegal, genetic engineering. He has a vast, automated facility that he's invested a substantial part of his fortune into. Taking it out would break him."
"Doc," Jason spoke up first, "freeing the people in The Vault was a righteous move, and it was in parallel with our need to escape ourselves. But this seems to be nothing but revenge, which I understand. Bondrass deserves that, and much more, for what he did to you. But, you have to understand... we were incredibly lucky on this mission, there's no way that we should have been able to get away that easily."
"I know what I'm asking," Doc said, "and I know that some of you would like to walk away and go home now while we still can. I'm asking you to trust me in that the implications of letting this facility continue to exist are far more profound than any one crime boss's wallet. It's not likely I'll ever be in a position again to really do something about it either." He gestured to the hissing DL7 gunship as he finished. Once Doc stopped talking Jason realized that they were all looking at him, waiting to see what his answer would be. He looked away from them for a moment and out over the alien landscape of the moon. The planet was rising up over the horizon to share the sky with the primary star and the effect was simply breathtaking. What human will ever get to see something like this?
“You’re asking too much,” Jason insisted. “We were more or less forced into action in this instance. You’re talking about a deliberate assault on a target. I may not be up on all the ins and outs of legalities in this part of the galaxy, but I have to believe that what you’re proposing is highly criminal.”
“Jason, you’ve personally killed nearly ten beings since I’ve met you. You didn’t seem overly concerned about legal complications then…”
“That is NOT the way to get my cooperation!” Jason shouted, jabbing a finger into Doc’s chest for emphasis, suddenly irate. “A situation born of self defense is entirely different than premeditated killing, and make no mistake; firing on a building from a ship is no different than shooting someone with a gun. As I remember it, your hesitation almost got all of us killed… where was your moral high ground after I killed that guard to save your life?” The rest of the crew stood motionless, watching the increasingly hostile exchange between the two. Jason and Doc stared at ea
ch other for a few more tense seconds.
“You’re right, Jason. I was out of line,” Doc conceded, his shoulders slumping forward in defeat. “I’m sorry.” Jason drew in a breath to deliver another blistering retort, still seething, and then stopped himself. He slowly let his breath escape between his lips, his anger ebbing away with it.
“It’s fine, Doc. I understand… I really do,” Jason said softly.
“Guys,” Twingo interjected once a lot of the heat had bled off the conversation, “why don’t we talk about this later, once we’ve had some time to process everything we’ve just been through. I can see your side, Jason, but this is obviously something that Doc feels is important. Maybe we shouldn’t just dismiss him out of hand, at least not yet.”
"We've come this far together,” Jason said to everyone, but looking Doc in the eye. “If you're telling me this is something that needs to be done, then I guess we need to at least discuss it. Either way, it seems we’re stuck with each other for at least the foreseeable future. I’m assuming we’re all leaving on this ship together, right guys?"
"I'm in," Twingo added instantly. "Crusher?"
"I'm with Commander Burke for as long as he needs me."
"You guys have a spot for me?" Kage asked hopefully. "I don't really have anywhere else to go and I like how this outfit operates." Jason looked at the others and shrugged.
"Why not?" Jason said. Looking up he spotted 777 walking back towards their group. "Hey, Lucky 7, what can I do for you?"
"I apologize in advance for eavesdropping, Commander," he started. "But I'd like to join your crew as well. There is no place for me where the others are going, and I am certain I can be of use."
"Glad to have you," Jason said after seeing Crusher perk up at the notion of 777 joining their crew. He seemed to have a serious soft spot for the synth for whatever reason.
"What are we going to do with Deetz?" Twingo asked, changing the subject.
"Aw shit! I completely forgot about that asshole," Jason swore. "Come on, let's go deal with this now." He marched back up the ramp without waiting for a response. Deetz was right were they left him, powered down and restrained in the heavy chair in engineering. The six-person crew stood in a semi-circle around him.
"So, what are we going to do with him?" Doc asked, looking at Jason.
"Lucky, your kind is few and far between anymore, correct?" Jason asked.
"Yes, Commander. We're a species that is slowly going extinct. When the last of us goes offline that will be the end of the synthetics," Lucky confirmed. Jason weighed his options. Destroying Deetz was certainly the safest, and most permanent, course of action. But, the thought that he might be contributing to a species' extinction wasn't pleasant either. Staring at the still form of in the chair, he knew what his decision had to be, so there was no point in dragging it out further than necessary.
"We're not going to kill him," Jason said. "Turn him on, Twingo." Without a word the engineer entered some commands on a tablet computer he had grabbed off a work bench. Deetz twitched and raised his head as he came back online. "Hello, Deetz. Nice nap?"
"Why have you done this, Jason?" Deetz asked.
"You've got to be kidding me you fucking weasel. What was your deal with Bondrass to turn me over?" Jason was quickly losing both his patience and his temper. Deetz flinched at the mention of the crime boss.
"So, you found out. How clever of you."
"This is true then?" Lucky asked. "You were going to sell these men for personal gain?"
"What do you care?" Deetz sneered. "These are the same biologicals that would use you as a weapon with no concern for your safety or sanity, Combat Unit 777. You're nothing but an expendable resource."
"Not to me," Jason said forcefully, not interested in a protracted philosophical debate. "And despite being a slimy piece of trash, neither are you. As I understand it you're a fading species, I won't contribute to that. Not today, at least. You're going to get on the ship that’s sitting outside with all the other prisoners that we freed from The Vault and you're going to fly out of here far, far away from me. This is a onetime reprieve, I catch you near me again and I'll shut you down. Understood?"
"Yes," Deetz said, defeated. Jason gestured for Twingo to release the clamps and allow Deetz to walk off the ship under his own power. He trudged out of engineering, not even considering trying anything foolish with the powerful battlesynth right behind him. Once they reached the bottom of the ramp Jason simply pointed to the waiting ship across the field.
"Go," he said before turning his back on the synth.
It was a nearly twelve hours of back breaking work later when the crew of the gunship watched the enormous cargo hauler lumber into the sky on an artificial gravity well and thrusters, both of which played hell with Jason's equilibrium. They stood watching until it was just a speck in the sky before heading back up the ramp. The cargo bay was now flush with crates and pallets loaded with precious metals, exotic weaponry, and hard currency sponsored by governments that still honored non-traceable bills. The crew shuffled up to the lounge area wearily (except for Lucky, who never tired) and sunk into the sofas.
"So do we talk this out now? Or wait until tomorrow?" Doc asked.
"Fuck that. Anything we talk about now is likely to be meaningless. I’m wiped out so I'm going to bed," Jason said as he got up. "Computer, lock the ship up, ground defense protocol alpha."
"Acknowledged."
"I will stay on the bridge and monitor our defenses, Commander. I require no rest," Lucky offered, still standing while the others sat.
"Look at you, Lucky 7, earning your keep already," Jason said, patting the synth on the back as he walked by. "Thanks. Let me know if you need anything, I'll be in my quarters. Goodnight, all." Jason went to his quarters, kicked his boots off after laying his weapons on the desk, and, for the first time in weeks, fell into a deep, untroubled sleep. The rest of the crew disbursed slowly and found their way to their bunks. On the bridge, Combat Unit 777 stood like a sentinel, every sensor alert. As the rest of the crew slept, the battlesynth stood watch and evaluated its existence and, for the first time since coming online, felt some small sense of belonging. He hoped it wasn't fleeting.
Chapter 17
The battlesynth descended from the bridge when he heard the crew stirring down in the galley. He approached the group and was waved over. "Good morning, Lucky! Or whatever time it really is," Twingo called out to him.
"Good morning, Twingo. Commander. Crewmates," Lucky said respectfully as he moved to the end of the high top table the crew was eating at. "I trust everyone slept well."
"Like a baby with you standing watch," Jason said between bites. "First good sleep I've had since this debacle started."
"We're going to discuss the possibility of our next operation after we eat," Doc said to the synth. "We'd appreciate if you'd lend us whatever insight you might have."
"It would be my pleasure," Lucky said. Twenty minutes later they were all crammed into the small meeting room on the upper deck, aft and port from the bridge, discussing their plan of attack on the facility Doc swore was a critical target.
“Ok, Doc. Now that we’re all rested, fed, and calm… try and convince us we need to hit this target,” Jason said as he sat down in one of the chairs.
“Very well,” Doc began, activating the main wall display. “This is the planet Kaldsh-4, a standard sized, lightly industrialized planet with a small population. It’s mostly just large tracts of agricultural land that supports the food demands of the heavily populated core planets.”
Jason settled back as Doc continued to lead the briefing since he had detailed intel on the target. In fact, he had incredibly precise locations and schematics for the facility thanks to a hidden, encrypted memory chip he had pulled out of the tablet computer he had brought on board with him at Pinnacle Station, so much so that it aroused Jason’s suspicion about how involved he really was in Bondrass’ operations.
After an hour of back an
d forth, the team decided that a direct approach would probably be best. The facility wasn’t heavily fortified as it employed a “hiding in plain sight” approach to secrecy. It was also not heavily staffed, another plus since most of the crew wanted to avoid too much collateral damage and casual killing during the operation. The heavy arsenal the gunship carried made it possible for them to directly attack the target without too much risk. Doc was also adamant that they had to capture, or kill, a specific target he swore would be onsite. He actually insisted that this objective was more important that the destruction of the complex itself. Crusher and Lucky immediately volunteered for this job, but Doc said the target would not put up much of a fight; she was an academic, not a warrior.
“Her name is Dr. Jevara Da’Chelic. Here’s a picture of her,” Doc was saying as he worked the controls for the room’s main display. The picture looked like a typical security badge mug shot and was of a female of the same species as the doctor. She had shoulder length, jet black hair (compared to Doc’s bald head) and looked to be quite a bit younger as well.
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