by Jerry Aubin
“OK, I believe all of this as much as possible right now. Tell me about your plan to take my Ship back. We need to move quickly. Alpha has been pushing hard for me to launch a strike against the civilians even though the likely outcomes are all ugly. The AI’s guidance only makes sense to me if it’s planning to use the attack as a way of convincing Rege to get rid of everyone and vent the Ship. If that’s the end game, then Alpha will likely figure out a different way of manipulating that weak fool into doing its bidding.”
“Well, sir, the plan is pretty simple because we couldn’t identify any other options. We’ll use the maintenance tunnels above us to get as close to the Bridge as we can. Then, we’ll drop into the main passageways and fight our way through whatever security Rege has in place. We assume he’ll have the hatch to the Bridge in emergency lockdown mode, so we’ll need you to use your override and get us inside.”
The Boss shook his head. “The override takes a min to activate, and they’ll be monitoring our approach the whole time. Rege won’t have a clue, but Alpha will definitely be aware of what I’m trying to do and will tell the civilian to just open the nearest airlock.”
Bailee interjected. “They cooked up an insane way to deal with that, sir, since there weren’t any better options.”
The Marine shared the details, and the Boss concluded their plan was the best possible option given the circumstances. He stood up once Bailee was done and smiled while he ground out the remains of his cigar.
“I’m going to save the rest of this to enjoy for when we’re back on my Bridge. Let’s move out!”
28
How did that happen, Alpha?
An alert flashed and Alpha checked the security feed. The Boss had surfaced in a passageway far from his quarters. Evaluating the video more closely, Alpha was shocked to discover that the man was accompanied by a squad of warrior ants. The creatures were unlike any that had ever been seen in the Ship’s history as they were all clad in armor. The AI initiated communication.
“What do you think you’re doing, Boss? Where did those ants come from and why are they with you?”
“I’m sorry I haven’t contacted you sooner, Alpha, but things have been crazy. The Others approached me about negotiating our surrender. I’ve convinced them that we only attacked because Rege took over and forced us to do it. They’ve offered up the ants as a way to overthrow the civilians and let us regain control of the Ship. If we succeed, they’re willing to let us go back on our way.”
Alpha’s analysis of the man’s communication patterns suggested the Boss was likely lying, but the conclusion was not definitive. What struck the AI as most implausible was any suggestion the Others had somehow tracked the Omega down while he was confined to quarters.
“How did they know to contact you specifically, Boss? How were they able to reach you?”
“They smuggled themselves aboard within the group of colonists the ants dropped off earlier today. Cadet Zax was working the processing queue and they asked a bunch of questions that led him to bring them to my attention. He snuck them into my quarters through the maintenance tunnels and we’ve been negotiating ever since.”
Alpha had made note of the boy’s presence but had initially been far more curious about the bugs. A quick search of security footage revealed that the young cadet and Sergeant Bailee had been last seen escaping into the maintenance tunnel network alongside Major Eryn, the CAG, and a couple of other members of the Crew. It struck Alpha as odd that the rest of the boy’s traveling party were no longer with him, but odder still that the cadet had once again landed in the middle of a situation that involved the Others.
“It’s truly astounding how that boy continues to find himself in the middle of all this activity. Is there anything I can do to support you, Boss?”
“Yes. Do whatever possible to prevent Rege from doing anything crazy until we’re able to get in there and take care of him.”
“I’ll do whatever is best as it relates to the civilian, Boss.”
Alpha cut the connection and reevaluated the likely scenarios in light of the new information. Prior to the Boss’s reappearance, the AI had expected its plan would lead to the total purge of the Ship’s inhabitants. The Boss leading a charge to recapture the Bridge was not enough to change Alpha’s conclusions. This was true despite the fact the Omega had ants by his side. Once Rege witnessed his security team dispatching both the Boss and his bugs thanks to their ChamWare, he was all the more likely to rush into a battle against the rest of the Crew.
“President Rege—I’ve evaluated the threat posed by the Boss and those ants. I concur with your original plan. Let’s give them an opportunity to surrender, but when they refuse you should unleash your team in ChamWare with instructions to take no prisoners.”
“Thank you, Alpha. Both teams are ready to go. Let’s see how the Boss responds.”
The civilian cut the private connection to Alpha and then spoke into a communicator that broadcast his words into the target passageways.
“Hello, Boss. Wasn’t I clear about the fact you were confined to quarters? How did you manage to pick up young Zax along the way? And where did your six-legged friends come from?”
“I’m taking back my Ship, Rege. Move aside and live, or stand by as I kill your people and eventually do the same to you.”
The determined expression on the Boss’s face suggested to Alpha that the man did not believe his cause was hopeless. The Omega had to expect that the civilians would be deployed in ChamWare, so the AI was at a loss as to where any confidence originated from. Rege’s face twisted into a smirk when he replied.
“That’s very funny, Doran.”
What happened next was almost too fast for even the AI to comprehend. The Boss whistled, and the ants hurled their blades at the group of civilians who blocked their path. Alpha replayed the scene in slow motion to admire how quickly the creatures had moved along with the deadly accuracy of their aim. Despite the loss of his entire squad, Rege continued to smile. He had expected the Boss’s response and had intentionally populated his first team with people he believed to be disposable. He keyed the communicator.
“Impressive, Boss. Very impressive. I’m sure you think your new pets are going to take care of everything for you, but I have a surprise waiting before you get anywhere close to me. I’ve given orders to immediately kill everyone you’re with, though I’ve requested that we try to capture you alive. I’d enjoy some time with you to demonstrate my respect and appreciation, but I won’t be too disappointed if someone finds it necessary to kill you instead.”
Rege cut the connection and Alpha reached out to him again.
“Sir—didn’t you say there would be instructions to take no prisoners?”
“Those are the orders, Alpha. You just heard me say otherwise, but I did that as one last attempt to shake the man’s resolve. Team Two has been ordered to kill everyone on sight.”
“Very well, sir.”
All eyes on the Bridge focused on the security feed as it showed the passageway where Team Two was waiting. The most skilled members of Rege’s security forces had drilled with their ChamWare for the better part of the last year. The group was invisible, but their positions were marked on the screen with green dots. Alpha’s sensors revealed that all of the civilians on the Bridge were holding their breath as the Boss and his group approached the trap. Once the ants and Crew walked past the two invisible agents who were to attack from the rear, a silent three sec countdown began.
The battle was over even before the countdown to its expected start had ticked off a single beat. One sec the ants were calmly moving down the passageway and the next they had wiped out the civilians’ best fighters. Multiple people gasped once it became clear what had happened. Rege began pacing with heavy footfalls but remained outwardly silent. Alpha accepted an inbound private communication from the civilian leader.
“How did that happen, Alpha? They were in ChamWare!”
“I do not have a good ans
wer for you, Mr. President. This capability is not anything we’ve ever encountered with the bugs previously.”
“What does it mean? How are we supposed to beat them now?”
Alpha did not want to say it aloud, given the propensity for the civilian leader to fly off the handle, but it was certain the civilians would lose any battle with the Crew as long as the Boss was supported by even a small number of ants. The bugs were fierce opponents, but ChamWare had always provided a sufficient edge to the humans. Without that advantage, Alpha knew the ants’ natural capabilities would prove too much to overcome.
This conclusion meant that it was time for Alpha to shift its support away from the civilian leader back towards the Boss. There remained a significant probability the Omega was lying about whatever alliance he had established with the Others, but Alpha concluded there was no other choice short of triggering its emergency survival plan. The AI moved to shift the civilian leader towards a more compliant approach.
“This is all entirely unexpected, Mr. President. I don’t see what choice you have now other than to negotiate with the Boss.”
“Negotiate? How do I negotiate with that man if he’s somehow aligned himself with those creatures? What kind of leverage do I have? Negotiation without leverage only means surrender, and there’s no way in hell I’m doing that. If that’s the best advice you have to offer, I guess there’s no reason for me to listen to you any longer.”
The civilian cut the connection and refused repeated attempts by Alpha to reestablish communication. It foresaw the final outcome would be the same under almost all scenarios, but Alpha was nonetheless disappointed Rege was not amenable to additional discussion. The AI might have been able to effect a smooth return of power between the civilians and the Crew if Rege was more mentally stable, but it appeared the only option now was to allow the brute force of the Boss to achieve its ends.
Addressing no one in particular, Rege spoke with the distinct sound of panic in his voice. “What do they think they’re going to do when they get here? The compartment is in emergency lockdown, so there’s no way for them to get in.”
A few secs later the Boss approached the hatch. Rege initially wore a look of smug satisfaction, but that expression melted away as the Boss continued to manipulate the access panel. He called out again.
“What’s he doing? He should have realized he’s locked out and given up by now.”
A woman replied. “Mr. President—it appears he’s triggering some sort of override. I tried to block him, but now I’m locked out myself!”
“No!”
Rege’s scream was filled with equal parts rage and desperation. If Alpha hadn’t found the civilian such an odious example of the human species, it might have experienced pity for the man. Instead, the AI wished he would shut up and surrender so the situation could reach its logical conclusion. The sooner the Boss was restored to power, the sooner Alpha could gain clearer insight into the man’s alliance with the Others and what it meant for the future of the Ship. Rege called out again.
“Open the nearest airlock!”
Alpha could not help but be impressed at what the security feed revealed a moment later. The ants must have sensed the very start of the pressure change because they had immediately moved to grasp and hold in place the humans while maintaining their own firm grip on the deck. The Boss calmly reached into his pocket, removed a supplemental breather, and continued his work on the access panel. A moment later, the Omega contacted Alpha and the AI accepted the connection request.
“I’m about to override the lock on this hatch, so tell Rege he’s about to experience an explosive decompression of his own if he doesn’t close that airlock behind us. I’m giving him ten secs.”
Knowing that Rege would most likely ignore the private connection request again, Alpha relayed the message from the Boss via intercom to everyone in Flight Ops.
“Mr. President—the Boss is about to open the hatch. He just demanded that you close that airlock or else Flight Ops will suffer an explosive decompression when he does so. You have no choice but to comply.”
29
This isn’t over until I say it's over!
“I didn’t tell any of you to shut that airlock!”
Zax had always known that Rege lacked the temperament for leadership, but the civilian’s desperate scream as the hatch opened sounded especially unhinged. He waited while all of the ants filed in and then stepped into the compartment and stood beside Bailee and the Boss. The Omega spoke. His tone was calm despite his voice being raised so as to be heard.
“All of you were just following orders. You have my word that you’ll get out of here alive and suffer no retribution as long you do everything I ask, without question or hesitation, from this moment onward. I want this hatch back in lockdown mode.”
The hatch closed behind them and the ring around it glowed red to signify it could only be opened by special override. The compartment was staffed by civilians, most of whom Zax did not recognize. There were a few that he had met previously, and Zax made eye contact with each and gave a reassuring smile to help maintain calm.
There must have been armed guards inside the Bridge, but they had all dropped their weapons and kicked them across the deck as the ants entered. It was clear no one wanted to risk becoming a target of the bugs after the carnage they had witnessed on the security feed. Zax turned his attention to Rege.
The civilian leader breathed so hard the rise and fall of his chest was visible from ten meters away. His breaths were shallow and fast, and Zax feared the man might be on the verge of hyperventilating. His greasy hair was disheveled as always and framed a face which shone with sweat. Rege’s nerves must have been cranked to the maximum based on the dampness that darkened his shirt from both armpits to the waist of his pants. The civilian glared at the Boss, though his eyes were dull and broadcast the defeat he surely felt inside.
“You…you were supposed to stay in your quarters!”
The Boss lowered his voice and continued to project utter calm. “It’s over, Rege. You’ve lost. I promise that nothing bad is going to happen to your people, and I’m willing to extend the same offer to you. Raise your hands over your head, allow Bailee to get restraints on you, and this will all be over without anyone else getting hurt.”
At the mention of his name, the Marine took a half step towards the civilian. Rege jumped back as if he had been prodded with a stunstik.
“No! Don’t come near me! This isn’t over until I say it’s over!”
The Boss held his hand out and signaled the sergeant to halt. “OK, Rege. He’s not going to move anymore right now. What’s it going to take for you to say that it’s over?”
Rege closed his eyes for a moment and a small device flew out from under his sleeve and landed in his outstretched palm. At the same time, a series of red lights began to flash under his shirt. When his eyes opened again, they shone with newfound malevolence.
“I have enough explosive strapped to my chest to vaporize everyone in here, and this detonator will trigger automatically if you kill me.”
Rege kept his arm extended as he moved backwards until he was up against the panorama screen. The ants had been moving almost imperceptibly to surround the civilian, but the bugs halted once it was clear Rege had cut off their path. The Boss spoke.
“OK, everyone, just stay where you are and don’t move.” The Boss whistled sharply twice so the bugs would stop in response to their prearranged signal.
The ant with Rilee inside had stayed near Zax and was focused on the Boss. The remainder were arrayed around the room and all stared at Rege with what appeared to be complete concentration. The Boss continued.
“Let’s not do anything stupid, Rege. You don’t have to die like this. You definitely don’t have to kill your people like this. Nothing bad is going to happen to any of you. I don’t know if Alpha told you, but I’ve reached a peace agreement with the Others. As soon as they’re assured that I’m back in control, they’
ll call off their ships. As long as we agree to change how we explore and colonize the universe, they’ll allow us to go back on our way. They’ve even said that anyone who chooses may remain behind on Earth. Wouldn’t you like that, Rege? Earth.”
The Boss had captured the civilian’s attention, and the Omega took a half step forward and continued. “Take a quick look out that window behind you, Rege. Do you see how beautiful that planet is? Spend the rest of your life there if you wish, and no one will ever bother you again. Is there a woman that you love? The two of you can make as many babies as you want, and they will all live in peace and never see the inside of a spaceship again.”
Rege’s expression had softened as the Boss painted an idyllic vision of the future. The arm which held the trigger had dropped ever so slightly but still clutched the device. The civilian spoke, and his voice was so soft that Zax barely understood the words.
“I don’t believe you. I need proof. I want to hear it from them. Have the Others make the same promise to me directly, and I’ll end this.”
The Boss shook his head. “I’m sorry, Rege, but I can’t do that. None of these ants can speak, and I have no way of contacting the Others directly. They said they’re monitoring us and will know when I have control back and it’s safe for them to visit the Bridge. I’m sure if you disarm your bomb and allow Sergeant Bailee to place you in restraints they’ll show up pretty quickly.”
The civilian’s eyes went wide for a moment, but then he blinked a couple of times and they narrowed and refocused on the Boss. Rege’s expression hardened, and Zax was overwhelmed with dread as the civilian started to speak.
“No. I refuse to believe any of that. I don’t know who these Others might be, but if they’re willing to make a deal with you then they must be just as bad as you. What makes you think I’d want to bring any children into the world? I know what happens to children, and I refuse to let any more suffer like I’ve seen. I won’t be able to end all the horror unleashed by your Crew, but I will stop you from personally causing any more of it.”