Dreaming of Atmosphere

by Jim C. Wilson

  I learnt all about these phenomenon during my training in the Primacy Star Marine Corps. During those axial deployments, we were issued with jump packs and grav-boots. This time I was pretty much just planning to use a grav-plate from the ship and stand on it with my magnetic boots, as grav-boots were too expensive and specialised to just pick up at a local market. As Star Marines approached an enemy ship, they would arrest some of their velocity relative to the enemy ship and when their grav-boots encountered the inertial field they would strip much of the inertia of the marine, allowing their jump packs to decelerate the marine to a safe velocity and land. It was all about timing, and the first few time’s I’d attempted it I’d messed it up and earned the nickname ‘Splat’. One of my old squaddies that I went through training with was called ‘Bouncer’ and another ‘Ricochet’. They were pretty common names for rookie Star Marines. It was much easier on stationary targets like space stations.

  I waited in the med lab with Crege and Artemis for the others. They were curious, but I didn’t let them know what I had planned until everyone was present. When they arrived, I gave them an outline and waited while they finished being shocked before I started to ask questions.

  “So…what I need for all of you is the rest of the plan. I can get to the ship, but I need you help to disable it and to get off it. Art, I need a few of those charges that are hidden around the ship. We don’t carry explosives unless we’re planning on doing some mining for a job.”

  “You’ll have it. Give me forty minutes when we’re done here.” That’s Art, all business.

  “Mal, you have the most knowledge about propulsions systems on the ship, I understand theirs will be completely different to ours, but your guess is probably going to be better than mine.”

  “I’ll see what I can come up with.” For the first time, ever, he was helping without any snide remarks or coercing. Maybe his recent betrayal and subsequent mercy shown him by us had finally set him on the right path.

  “Crege, you’re the finest warrior I know, if anyone can give me advice on how to take on a crew of over a hundred it’s you. I need all the advice I can get, I need to be a ninja.”

  “Warrior is unfamiliar with this animal.”

  “It’s an ancient earth assassin, they were practically invisible.”

  “People are easy, internal sensors are your calak.”

  I believe I can be of assistance there, First Mate Donovan.

  “As can I.” added Fel.

  “I can confuse most internal sensors, I have a paradigm with my nano-proliferation that can mask me from them, but I can’t use it indefinitely. I’ll also need help with any security check points or electronically locked doors.” I said.

  “You’ll need your scrambler.” said Fel, “Although I have a feeling it will interfere with your nanites’ ability to communicate with each other as well.”

  Negative, Systems Operator Fel’negr. Nanites communicate at the subatomic scale using quantum tunnelling and entanglement concepts. Your scrambler should not affect their interfacing.

  “Well that’s good news then.”

  “I need help cracking through their security systems, to gain access to compartments. At some point, I might be able to secure an access pass, but I don’t want that as my only option. I’ll need to access an airlock as well, just to get inside. I can’t let their sensors pick me up trying to get in.”

  “You should be able to just cut your way through an outer airlock.” added Mal, “It’s the inner ‘lock that will have the most sensitive sensors. Just re-seal the outer ‘lock before you start trying to get into the inner.”

  “Okay, so I just need to hack the inner ‘lock doors. Art, have you ever been on one of these Corporate organo-ships?”

  “Yeah, few years back. You know they only build the inner compartments, propulsion, the bridge and living spaces. Everything else is grown from chitin, or cartilage, or whatever it is.”

  “So how do I disable one?”

  “Depends on the level of disabling you require.”

  “Enough to make them stop chasing us.”

  “Propulsion is probably the easiest, but you might not be able to take out enough of their systems to make a difference. Your best bet is probably the ship’s brain.”

  “What?” A few of the others joined me in their surprise.

  “You understand that an organo-ship is alive, right?” she explained.

  “Yeah, but…I thought it was just the outer hull?”

  “Nope, the things have organs that perform many of the mechanical system functions we have on regular ships. Life support, water reclamation, sensors, heating. Hell, even the public announcement and alarms are propagated through vocal organs. These things need primitive nerve clusters that respond to stimuli, the responses are processed in organs that you could call brains. Take out the brain that controls propulsion and fuel control, you disable the ship.”

  “Mal?”

  “Sounds reasonable. Remove any ability for the engines to get fuel and fires go out.”

  “How will they repair it?”

  “They’d need to regrow another brain.”

  Actually, it would seem likely they would have redundant systems in place to counter this kind of event.

  “Nope, Corporates think they’re invincible inside their ships. The best they got is spare brains. They take time to install, though, and they have to regrow the nerve connections.”

  That seems counter intuitive. Why would they not include redundant systems?

  “An ancient human poem comes to mind,” offered Fel, “One which is often cited in teachings of The Way;

  “And on the pedestal these words appear:

  'My name is Ozymandias, king of kings:

  Look on my works, ye Mighty, and despair!'

  Nothing beside remains. Round the decay

  Of that colossal wreck, boundless and bare

  The lone and level sands stretch far away.”

  “You often quote human philosophers, almost as much as your own race’s.” I asked, “Do we inspire you that much?”

  “From the moment our two races met, we were fascinated with your kind. Here was a bright and magnificent species of intelligent beings, with a capacity for love, compassion and greatness that matched their capacity for stupidity, foolishness and cruelty. Who were we but to marvel at humanity’s age of wonder?”

  “Age of wonder?”

  “No other species is more numerous and prolific across the galaxy. It was humankind’s sharing of the Jump Gate technology that has created this galaxy spanning civilisation.”

  “When you put it like that…”

  “My reference, however, warns of the hubris of men. To answer your question, Tac, the Corporates cannot conceive of one man taking from them the ability to impose their will upon the galaxy.”

  I see. You have given me much to ponder.

  “Save it for another time, Tac. I need you working on ways to hack the Corporate security systems.”

  I will need to be within wireless range of the vessel in order to analyse their security.

  “That’s why I’m taking you with me.” I said.

  “When are you planning on performing this daring raid?” asked Artemis.

  “As soon as I’m ready. The closer the Xerxes gets to the Dreaming, the more danger we’ll be in.”

  “I’ll go see what I can piece together in the time that I have.” said Fel.

  “I’ll pull up a grav-plate from the deck. Won’t miss one in aft cargo.” said Mal.

  “I’ll go get you a few bombs.”

  “Human already knows how to fight. Already knows how to stay alive. Warrior trusts kitrak knows how to think like galab. Here, no good to warrior. Human will need it.” Crege passed me a sheathed blade, his lurzak.

  “I can’t accept this. If I lose it over there, I can’t spend time trying to recover it.” I said.

  “Warrior will find another. Will be a while until warrior can use it again
anyway.”

  “Isn’t there some sort of sentimental value placed on it, though? Some warrior’s oath or what not?”

  “Only on the concept of the blade. Lurzak is replaceable. Friend is not.”

  “Thank you. I mean that.”

  “Come back alive. Give warrior back his lurzak is thanks enough.”

  I left the med lab and took Tac’s spherical body with me. I headed down to the forward cargo hold and entered the armoury. I took one of the energy carbines and laid it on the prep table, collecting several batteries as well. How should I equip myself for this venture, I mused. The Infantry Vests? Or just my ablative jacket? The aim was to stay out of sight, stay hidden, but I knew that wouldn’t last. At some point, I would need to fight. I’d need protection. My M4 MAEL was ruined, which was a shame because this is exactly the kind of operation the suit was designed for. I don’t think I’d be able to wear the Infantry Vests under a light duties space suit, but I’d need to change out of my space suit when I boarded anyway. I grabbed a vest and an equipment pack with straps that I could attached to the space suit.

  I took a couple of grenades and my favourites, the party poppers, as well, putting them all on the table with the carbine. I’d swing by cabin in a while and collect my PX-2 as well. There were some here, but every active tends to favour their own personal side arms. Mine was sighted and adjusted exactly how I liked it, and no one but me ever fired it. I also found a smaller satchel that I could put Tac in that would attach to my rear webbing. Next on the list was tools.

  I left the armoury, taking Tac with me, and went to the nearest damage control locker. I figured since we can only communicate at close range now, I might need to bounce ideas off him. I rummaged through the locker and grabbed a plasma cutter, and a roll of duct tape. Never knew when duct tape might come in handy. The cutter could also be set to weld, and I’d need it to get through some hatches.

  Actually. No, I wouldn’t. I chuckled to myself as I was putting the cutter back.

  “I can teleport through doors.”

  You may be required to maintain your Invisibility paradigm while moving about the ship, First Mate Donovan. It would be prudent to take redundant tools. Remember the poem of Ozymandias?

  “Yes. Yes I do. Thanks for the reminder, Tac. Hubris is my biggest enemy now that I have this nano-proliferation implant.”

  I sheepishly took the cutter again and returned to the armoury with my gear. Next, I went to my cabin for the PX-2, the ablative coat and the scrambler. I figured I could always put the coat over the vest. On the way back down I entered Fel’s cabin to find him soldering away at his small desk.

  “What are you building?”

  “A wireless override device.”

  “A what for the who now?”

  Fel’negr and I have been discussing ways to overcome physical security measures, such as electronically locked doors. Without the use of your nanites, that is.

  “You should be able to attach this to a secured door’s swipe slot, and Tac can access the door through it. Hopefully, he can ghost the door open without setting off any alerts in their systems. It’s almost finished. Pretty standard equipment, really. It’s Tac who adds the special bits.

  “Nice. I need some tools for basic electronics work. In case I need to break something.”

  “There should be a few kits in Central Control. These are, unlike Crege’s lurzak, irreplaceable.”

  “Fair enough. I’ll check on Mal at the same time. Wait a second, you’re still linked to Tac’s channel? I thought the local network was down. Short range only?”

  “I had an old transmitter in my cabin, linked to my overlay. I can chat with him, but only text while out of range of his local sensors.”

  “Will it reach to the organo-ship?”

  He thought for a moment before shaking his head. “I doubt it. I should be able to communicate up until the hull, but I doubt I could penetrate the Xerxes’ hull with it. I’ll be able to relay any messages you need up until then.”

  “I’ll keep that in mind.”

  I made my way aft to the Central Control compartment. Mal was at a workbench removing several unnecessary components from a grav-plate. It was beat up and had signs of heavy traffic, but so were most of the other deck plates around the ship. The device that controlled gravity was about the size of two dinner plates, side by side. They were almost flush with the underside of the deck plate. I started rounding up a few tools I might need, putting them into the bag.

  “I know we haven’t always gotten along, Seth.” Started Mal, “And I’m sorry for blaming you for Eric’s death. I hope you make it back, and thanks for trying. Thanks for the words you said at Eric’s funeral, I never got the chance to say it before.”

  “You’re welcome. I hope I make it back, too.”

  “Dibs on your cabin if you don’t.” I laughed and took his offered hand, giving it a firm shake.

  “Go to hell, Mal.”

  “You first. I’ll take this down the aft ‘lock when I’m done. Won’t be long.”

  “All right, see you down there.”

  I returned to the armoury and went through the equipment checks. Stripped down the guns, check battery charges, check grenade primers, check straps on infantry vests, check webbing, check lurzak charge, attached sheath, secure equipment to inside of bag, check mag-boots on space suit, check oxygen and power pack levels, check space suit jet pack fuel, check suit integrity, check suit comms with overlay. The routine acted as a calming ritual. I’d done similar exercises before operations in the Star Marines, only then I’d done it in the ready rooms filled with other marines. There was usually a hefty amount of banter and horseplay during this time, but I rarely involved myself with it. The absence was noted, though, my subconscious mind pointing out the differences against the familiar acts.

  I always found myself gaining confidence as I assessed the condition of my equipment. I took pride in the attention to detail and planning each piece of hardware brought to the table. I was preparing for an action, rather than responding to a reaction, and it was this that gave me a sense of self-worth, of courage. The Star Marines were not a defence force, after all, they were an offence force. This is what I had been trained for.

  My ritual complete, kitted out and suited up I made my way to the aft cargo.

  48.

  Fel and Mal handed off their gifts to me, I stowed the override in my bag and the grav-plate in the aft ‘lock until I was ready to go. Fel told me he would relieve Max and Zoe on the bridge, as they’d want to send me off before I left. Mal nodded and left as Artemis arrived, carrying several charges.

  “Don’t worry, I left a few for you to find. Still don’t trust you guys to toss me out the ‘lock otherwise.”

  “Smart.” I said as I carefully wrapped the charges and put them in my bag.

  “Good luck, loverboy. Dibs on your cabin if you bite it.”

  I sighed, nodded my thanks and watched her saunter out of the compartment as Max and Zoe came in. They were both sombre, concern on their faces. I waited for them to speak first.

  “If you find that you can’t achieve your objective,” started Max, “abort and get out of there. I’d rather you get back to us and we risk our necks with the close range barrage than try it without you. Have you got a plan to get out yet?”

  “Sort of.”

  “Sort of?”

  “I’m going to steal one of the Eclipse Fighters.”

  “I was going to suggest that, if you hadn’t thought of it. You can also try one of the shuttles; they seemed to have a bit of thrust. The Spear of Orion had at least two, so there’s that.”

  “I’ll come back, I promise.” She hugged me fiercely and moved to stand next to the airlock controls. Then Zoe stepped up to me. She looked me in the eyes, and there were a thousand things she was saying with her look alone. Don’t go, go, stay with me, go save us, came back, I love you, etcetera.

  She didn’t say any of them, she just looked. I nodded and
we embraced. We stayed like that for some time before I stepped away. She held me a little longer until I had to pry her arms from my neck. Tears were streaking down her face. She helped me put my suit helmet on, and went through the buddy checks. I smiled at her when I was done and gave her a thumbs up.

  Damn. Leaving on an operation was never this hard in the Star Marines. My feet were heavy, as if I didn’t want to go. If I were one of my squaddies, I’d be yelling at them to get my arse into gear and stop dragging my knuckles. I hauled myself into the aft airlock with a heavy heart and gestured for Max to close the hatch. The hiss of escaping air gradually faded to silence, and all I could hear was my own breathing and my pounding heartbeat. The light in the ‘lock went out, and turned to red as the outer hatch opened.

  The dark abyss awaited.

  I stepped out of the ‘lock, grav-plate in hand, and gently pushed myself off into space. I turned around gently to watch the Dreaming move away slowly as it accelerated. It was heartbreaking to see the ship in such dis-repair. There were dozens of pitted marks all over the hull, not to mention the dull beige polycrete foam lattice all over it. There were black scorch marks and buckled armour plates, bent combings on vents and a definite trail of dark vapour escaping from the starboard nacelle ion exhaust.

  “Hey, Max?” I said into my helmet comms.

  “Go ahead, space boy. Read you loud and clear.”

  “Your ship looks like a junker from here.”

  “Ha! You and Mal are on hull repair as soon as we put into a dry dock after all this is over.”

  “Thanks, I’ll remember that.”

  “I’m counting on it, Donny.”

  “Tell Zoe I love her. I’ll be back before you know it.”