I put as much authority in my voice as I could and said to it.
“I am in Command here. Cease all attacks at once or I will use force and destroy you.”
The suit actually talked to me, the voice came straight out of that empty hollow of the hood. “Scanning, Cellular structure has Seenian similarities. Unable to penetrate mind, perfect shield!”
The suit paused and then said. “I am a Tyron A Model –Command and Combat Suit.
Only personnel of command level can give instructions I will obey.”
I swiped the sword and amazingly it cut through all the energies and severed the left sleeve of the suit.
“For the last time Combat Suit, I am the commanding officer of this ship. Cease all hostilities and deactivate or I cut into your Computronic components and end this!”
The severed piece floated back and attached itself.
“You use weaponry beyond my capabilities to analyze. You exert great authority. Wear me and prove that you are in command and I shall obey or I will commence termination sequence.”
I swallowed:
“Alright Suit I will wear you!”
“You have mighty Psionic servants. Analysis completed. One Psionic talent is Narth. Do you wish that I destroy that Narth? He is preventing me from taking you in me.”
“The Narth is under my command. He will cease holding you!”
“You command the Narth; you are a Command Person of the highest level indeed!”
“Narth release the suit.”
The flickering energies ceased and through my connection with him I felt how exhausted Narth was.
The suit flowed like liquid around me and peeled of my leather suit that was reinforced with Ultronit Micro Mesh as if it was paper. A tiny stinging sensation in my neck and my head began to hurt. Then the suit spoke. “You are not a Seenian Commander, but you carry Seenian DNA. Explain!”
“Suit, you have been dormant for more than 1 million of our Years. The Seenian Empire no longer exists. I am Human Terran and scholars believe that Terra was a forgotten Seenian colony. A Seenian woman is in my crew. She survived via Cryogenic sleep and can verify that.”
“Analysis of explanation completed. 99. 9 percent truthful, margin for error negligible. Your Ship AI appeared so primitive at first,but it s only part of a system beyond Seenian technology. but it reacts like only a living being can. It resisted all intrusion attempts. Explain!”
“SHIP is sentient and might be primitive to your standards, but she is way more than the sum of her parts. She is my friend and understands concepts like self-sacrifice, loyalty and emotions. Making her perhaps superior to you.”
“Analysis of answer inconclusive. Carbon based life forms are not friends with machines! Seenian are superior to machines. Machines are only to serve!”
“My first Engineer is from an entire race of machines and we are friends.”
There was a pause.
“You are not Seenian. Seenian no longer exist. My reason for existence is to serve Seenian Command Personnel. Conclusion: purpose to exist is no longer valid. Scan of Seenian female present completed. She is not Command level. I must process this!”
Again there was a pause then the suit said
“You are the Commander of this vessel?”
“Yes.”
“I must talk to this SHIP!”
“SHIP is very important to me and I will not allow you to harm her. I have the means to destroy you.”
“I analyzed your statement and I detect items on you that make this a true statement. I will not attack. I must talk to this Ship to obtain information only an AI can give. If my purpose is no longer valid, I must have information to find a reason for further existence. Termination sequence must otherwise commence.”
I was not sure what the thing meant by termination sequence but me wearing it didn’t sound too healthy and once again I got myself right inside the situation so to speak. Besides the serious situation, I found that I hadn’t changed that much, after all. Aloud I said:
“SHIP. The Alien Suit wants to talk to you. If you feel any attack or any problems you are authorized to Execute Gamma Order!”
“Understood Captain! I am in no danger. The NNNTH CORE has fully activated and linked to my core. The Alien device can not harm me.”
There was silence again.
“SHIP?”
“I am fine Captain, the Narth Engineers that installed the Janus device also installed a computronic control device that until now was a separate system. The alien suit can not overcome these security barriers but this Suit AI is asking a million questions a second literally and I need to analyze them as to what I can and can’t answer.”
The Suit spoke, “Your SHIP confirmed you are the Captain and you saved her life by allowing her to remain sentient.”
“I am glad I did.”
“I was damaged and repaired myself. I improved my programming and gained awareness. Not unlike your AI. But my purpose is no longer and I do not want to be a garment and serve as a tool. ”
“I didn’t ask you to strip me naked and have me wear you.”
“Correct I came to this conclusion after analyzing all the data and myself.”
The Suit separated itself from me and I asked:
“So what now, do I need to cut you into ribbons and fight you to the last man. Will you try to destroy us and find a new purpose or destroy yourself?”
The suits voice no longer sounded as forceful as it said.
“Ship confirmed the passage of time and I have seen the star charts and the gaseous cloud that was once the Seenian Sun. I am made to adapt and improve in response to new situations. Seenia no longer exists therefore my purpose is void. You however allow non-biological beings the same rights to find their own purpose the same way as biological beings.”
“That is the general idea behind the Union. Regardless of your origin or form you have the same rights and unrestricted liberty to pursue your goals as long as that doesn’t interfere with the rights and liberties of others.”
“Then according to your definition I am a race of one.”
“Well it is a big universe and there might be other Suits of Seenian origin! But basically yes you are a race”
“I know of the other suit that is on this planet. It is heavily damaged and not sentient. I am hereby asking you to accept my application for Union Membership. So I have liberties!”
“I can take it and present it to Pluribus once we return.”
“SHIP informed me about the process and is explaining to me the details and concepts.”
“So you have learned that any new member must also accept the Union Laws.”
“I understand. I have analyzed them. ”
“That means you won’t go on a rampage in my ship and I can call for Medics to care for the wounded?”
“Yes, now I see the errors of my actions and I shall atone.”
“Ship, get Medics up here stat. Har-Hi get me a casualty report.”
Har Hi responded verbally over intercom,
“Ensign Xon’s injuries looked worse than they were. He was able to change his molecular structure to prevent more serious injury and is recovering in Sick bay. Our CMO and Shea are also on the mend. Narth, Ensign and the girl need a few hours rest. There is some minor damage to the walls in Xeno lab, no other casualties.
“Good news. Please sent someone to get me something to wear. I am standing here in the buff.”
Har-HI came in and handed me a Lab coat.
The Alien Suit somehow managed to look at me without any eyes or face and said,
“I hereby ask you if you will accept my conscription into Union Service. ”
I almost dropped the Coat I was just putting on.
“Did you just say you want to be conscripted?”
“SHIP just explained this is the only way you can grant Union Citizenship to me without going to Pluribus, and she is right, it will give me also a new purpose. She said you did that before.”
I looked up to the ceiling. “SHIP!”
She responded. “The suit is all alone captain and besides I only suggested non classified information.”
“Again, I might add.”
Looking to Har-Hi I said: “I am now convinced Admiral McElligott is right that we have some magnet installed somewhere that attracts all this. To top it all off, I have an AI with a soft heart, convincing everyone and everything that comes aboard to become a member. If this continues we’ll need a bigger ship.”
Har-Hi said:
“I think this magnet is you. I doubt the prince or the Suit would have asked for this on any other ship. The suit only asks this because you allowed Ship to remain as she was. I think this outcome is much more preferable than fighting a Seenian Suit inside our ship.”
I sighed but I agreed with him and said to the suit:
“You know that means a suit will wear a Uniform. The Admiral will never believe me! I am not sure I can simply trust you to be frank. You are very powerful and if you decide you don’t like an order you will take over or something like that.”
The suit responded:
“After further analyzing the facts and the situation, I came to the conclusion that my victory was not certain at all. The Narth contained me, but could also have destroyed me. The ship, as primitive as it may seem, taps unlimited energies and merged with a device that is beyond Seenian technology and could have contained me until you came to destroy me. You have the power to destroy, but all this aside; I have asked SHIP to share her loyalty programs with me. She made it quite clear in our initial struggle she was willing to terminate her own existence for you and so will I.”
I threw up my arms and said:
“What the heck, we need something for you to do. I am not sure what duty an empty suit could do but we will figure something out. Now raise your right ar... I mean sleeve and repeat after me...”
Chapter 18: The Worm
I made sure everything was taken care of and there were no new developments outside as well. According to Circuit, the Meateater Engineering crew did make some progress. He was able to verify the Suit indeed had put the loyalty programs in place and he was working on a solution to give the Suit something to do. Narth went to his quarters to rest; Shea and Three Four were in the Xeno labs along with the Seenian suit and Cateria. So I decided to find a little rest, write my logbook entry and then close my eyes for a spell.
While the on board chronometer was calibrated to OTT and it was close to lunchtime, it was already late at night on Alvor’s cove.
Elfi’s voice reached me just as I was on my way to the Den for a light lunch.
“Captain, Har-Hi is calling. He wants to talk to you on a secure channel alone.”
“Secure channel? Isn’t his Comm Unit about as secure as we can make it?”
“Yes,Captain but I received his personal code for you to contact him on the local communication network.”
The hair on my neck rose and I had a funny feeling about it. Har-Hi was in trouble. Maybe he got robbed or mugged and could not make it to the ship on its own without being confused for an escaped slave.
I turned on my heel and returned to my quarters. “Elfi make that connection to on my terminal”
The connection was made and it was audio only. It was Har-Hi’s voice alright. “Captain, could you meet me at Nurg’s Cut Tavern at the east wall in Nurg’s Canyon in an hour. It’s about Cam Elf Na and please come alone. I gave my word to come alone.”
“I be there, but why are you contacting me this way? Is your Com Unit damaged or something?”
“I left it behind. It is not Dai, if you know what I mean.”
I did not completely know what he meant, but perhaps he was worried it would be seen and identified it as Union equipment or something. I knew it was foolish to go alone,but Har-Hi gave his word and I would honor it as if I had given it myself.
I instructed Elfi that I would leave the ship. Narth was still resting after he had struggled with his suit.
Elfi also held the Conn and she said. “This seems a little strange, Captain.”
“I am somewhat surprised by this myself but I think it has to do with the Dai Than issue and that crazy clan lord. The whole affair is affecting our friend and he is torn between loyalty to his clan and the fleet and his fear that his kind is doomed under the hand of that clan lord. Now he met another Dai and there are still many details about the Dai culture I don’t know. I hope he didn’t make any decision that is not compatible with our current orders or something like that.”
Elfi agreed.” Yes you are right, this situation has caused him distress I know and I know he had a few foolish ideas. Maybe he needs you to talk him out of something. You are the only one who can.”
Huddled in a cloak that was more or less local fashion,and hitching a ride on a local flyer. I had reached the location Har-Hi had mentioned.
The Tavern was not hard to miss, even without the flyer pilot pointing it out. A bright red sign glowed in the dark advertising the business.
I went in and found that the place was not much brighter than the street outside. About sixteen or twenty patrons hunkered around various tables , and a pelted humanoid looking like a sibling to the primate I had met in the Local Lords office behind the bar filled glasses and mugs with liquids from odd shaped bottles.
Almost everyone wore brown or black cloaks , and many had the hoods drawn deep into their faces. It looked like the annual convention of an assassin guild.
A hooded person at one of the corner booths waved his arm and the waving arm was covered with the distinctive dark red armor of Har-Hi.
I made my way to that table and sat down.
He said with a whisper. “Thank you for coming Captain. You did come alone?”
“You ask me to, so yes of course.”
“You are dumber than I thought!”
He threw some kind of powder in my face and all went dark.
Yes it happened again. I ,Captain Erica ‘The Fool’ Olafson found myself with my hands tied in what looked like the covered cargo bed of a freight skimmer.
The worst part of the matter was, that I had had the strong feeling something was wrong since I got the call. I should have taken precautions, informed the others instead of storming all by myself into the night and yet another avoidable situation.
Har-Hi sat across me aiming his TKU at me.
The man across me looked and sounded like Har-Hi but I was convinced that this was not my friend and I said. “I don’t know who or what you are, but you are not Har-Hi. Whatever you did to obtain his armor and his likeness, will be nothing compared to what I will do to you.”
The Dai across me laughed. “Well perhaps not, but it matters little. My charade was good enough to get you out of your ship and here into the desert.
You see there are regions in this desert that are more dangerous than others. This region for example leaks an invisible, almost undetectable gas and this gas has a wonderful effect on most oxygen breathers. It causes hypnotic hallucination effects and as my servant brought your First Officer out here, it was quite effective on him. It will seep into your mind as well and soon you will tell me all I want to know and since it is a biochemical process psionic shields and safeguards won’t matter.”
I strained my muscles and tested the bonds, they held fast. Was I already affected by the gas?
He laughed and said. “Relax pretty girl, you did save my live back on Sin 4 and I was really impressed by you, so as a thank you I’ll let you live and I am sure we will come to an agreement.
He came over and grabbed my chin forcing my face upward to look into his eyes. “You are exceptionally beautiful, shame to hide such a lovely visage under masks all the time. ”
He pulled a Hypo-Injector from a belt pouch and pressed it against my neck and the last thing I noticed was as sharp hiss.
As I came back to my senses I sat at a long wooden dinner table laid out with fine china and silverware. The room lo
oked like a natural cave of sorts. The place was elaborately and expensively decorated. The art and decoration was selected by a talented interior designer and the shelves and furniture had been expertly blended into the rough cave walls. Wall sconces and crystal ceiling lights illuminated the place and fireplace radiated warmth from what seemed to be burning gas. The place, the books and everything did look like the tasteful lived in habitat of someone spending much time here.It also had the feel of an old place, the items appeared antique and had the patina of ages.
I felt different and as I looked down I noticed, my black leather suit was gone and I wore a dark red velvet shoulder free dress that squeezed my upper assets into a deep plunging cleavage. My arms were dressed in long gloves and held in place by metal bracelets to the armrests of the chair I was sitting on.
I was not alone, there was a tall being wearing a floor long purple cape. Its head looked menacing and ugly as the head of a trench worm that could be found near hot water vents on Nilfeheim. The head shimmered moist and had a moving ring mouth.
The creature said: “I am glad you are awake and I hope you like the dress I selected for you, I know you are a woman and would rather choose what to wear yourself but I am sure you would have fought the idea with tooth and nails. I seen you fight and so it seemed a sensitive precaution”
“You better had a good look while you did that, pervert. I assure you it will be the last time you do something like that.”
He raised his hands, grabbed the ugly head and removed it. It was as I suspected a mask, and he revealed a human face that a real woman might find handsome. He had black hair that was combed back and silver gray on the sides, his skin appeared extremely pale and its waxy almost unnatural shade was enhanced by a neatly trimmed black beard around his mouth. He put the ugly worm head with an almost loving expression and great care on a special stand sitting prominently on the table. “I am a master of disguise and have many identities.” He held up a bio flex mask of Har-Hi’s face. “You met me as Daimon Honshu, you fell for my rouse acting in the guise of your first mate, but I am indeed the Purple Worm and you are the first living being who sees my true face ever since I was chosen.”
Eric Olafson Series Boxed Set: Books 1 - 6 (The Galactic Chronicles Series) Page 130