by Ryk Brown
Cameron studied the view screen a moment. “What if we used a few of the repair tugs to rearrange the cargo pods on those ships?”
“They’re not designed to move that much mass,” Nathan pointed out. “As soon as they fired up their mains, their crane arms would snap.”
“What if they don’t use their mains?” Cameron suggested. “We could park a flatbed pod hauler right next to each ship. Then the repair tugs could just put the cargo pods on the flatbed until they were ready to restack them. They could do it all with docking thrusters. It would take a little longer, but not much longer.”
“And it would free up all four boxcars,” Nathan realized. “Good idea.”
“I’ll tell flight ops.”
The intercom beeped. “Captain, Comms.”
Nathan pressed the button on the intercom panel on his desk. “Go ahead.”
“The Seiiki is calling for you, sir. They just jumped in and are on approach.”
“Patch them through,” Nathan instructed.
“Aye, sir.”
“Captain?” Loki called over the intercom.
“Yes, Loki.”
“Lieutenant Commander Nash ordered us back to fetch you, sir,” Loki explained. “Doctor Chen needs you to come to Sanctuary to make a decision in regards to your sister’s treatment.”
“Not really a good time, Loki,”
“The lieutenant commander instructed us not to take no for an answer…sir. She also instructed us to pick up eight more Ghatazhak, with full combat gear.”
“Uh-oh,” Cameron muttered.
Nathan sighed.
“Go, Nathan,” Cameron urged. “I can handle things.”
“How long until touchdown?” Nathan asked over the intercom.
“Two and a half minutes, sir,” Loki replied.
“I’ll meet you on the flight deck,” Nathan replied.
“Understood. Seiiki out.”
“Maybe we should set up a dedicated jump comm-drone between Sanctuary and the Rogen system,” Cameron suggested as they both rose from their seats. “At least until Miri is well again.”
“Probably a good idea,” Nathan agreed. “But we’ll need to clear it with Sanctuary Security first, or they’ll shoot it down the moment it jumps in.”
“I’ll get it ready while you’re away,” Cameron assured him.
CHAPTER THREE
“What took you so long?” Vladimir asked Jessica as she sat down next to him at the bar. After looking her over a moment, he added, “What happened to you?”
“I got in an argument with a really nasty-ass stunner,” she groaned, signaling the barkeep. “Something strong.”
“By the looks of you, I’m guessing you lost.”
“That bad, huh?” Jessica tossed back the drink offered to her. “I said strong, pal. Try again,” she said crossly, pushing the shot glass back across the bar. “What was so important that I had to come all the way down here?” Jessica asked.
“I met a man,” Vladimir explained.
“Really?” Jessica took the next shot and tossed it back. “Better,” she told the barkeep, and then turned to Vladimir. “Was it love at first sight?”
“He says he can get us in touch with a man who has many Sugali fighters for sale.”
“How many?” Jessica asked, not yet impressed.
“More than one hundred, if I understood him correctly. His Angla was not so good.”
Jessica was intrigued. “Surely he doesn’t have them here.”
“He didn’t say, but probably not,” Vladimir agreed.
“Did he say how much?”
“No, but he said he could get us a very good deal, if we were willing to cooperate.”
“I can’t say I like the sound of that,” Jessica commented, signaling the bartender for another shot. “Nathan should be here in about six hours. Maybe we can strike a deal with this friend of yours, then.”
“We cannot wait that long,” Vladimir warned. “He is leaving in less than two hours.”
Jessica took the refilled shot glass and drank its contents in a single motion. “Where’s this guy at?”
Vladimir looked to his right. “In the corner, with the two bodyguards.”
“Figures.” Jessica rose from her seat and headed toward the man in the corner. “Let’s go have a chat.” Jessica made her way through the dimly lit bar with Vladimir a step behind. She walked up to the table in the corner but said nothing, instead just sizing up the two bodyguards sitting on either side of the older gentleman.
“Commander!” the old man greeted, his arms open wide. “You have come so to drink with me, yes? And you bring the beautiful woman also!”
“Mister Orloff, this is Lieutenant Commander Nash, chief of security for the Aurora,” Vladimir said.
The old man rose to his feet, albeit with some difficulty, reaching out across the table to take Jessica’s hand. “Sosius Orloff, at service to you,” he said, kissing her hand as he introduced himself. “My friends to call me Sosi. You should do same.”
“You got it, Sosi.”
“And you have first name?”
Jessica smiled. “Lieutenant Commander.”
Sosi also smiled.
“The commander, here, tells me you know someone with a few Sugali fighters to sell. Is that true?”
“Sosi does not speak things not true. Such is waste of time. Time is most important to Sosi. When time is gone, it is gone forever, not to be regained. It is thing we have little of, yet we take for granted.”
“Yet you just wasted a full minute of mine with your little speech,” Jessica noted.
Sosi looked at Vladimir, confused.
“She is kidding,” Vladimir assured him.
“Ah…” Sosi laughed. “She is to make joke with Sosi!” Sosi suddenly leered at her. “Very sexy.”
“Jesus,” Jessica whispered, leaning into Vladimir. “Where did you find this guy?”
“The lieutenant commander speaks for Captain Scott,” Vladimir told Sosi.
“I do,” Jessica confirmed.
“She is very much interested in the Sugali fighters of which you spoke,” Vladimir continued. “Did you say there are one hundred of them?”
“At least,” Sosi confirmed.
“These are working fighters,” Jessica said. “Ones that can fly, and fight?”
“I cannot speak on their operative state, but I see many in flight, so I think they are good, mostly.”
“Mostly.” Jessica did not look pleased.
“Can we see them?” Vladimir wondered.
Sosi winced. “That could to be difficult, I think.”
“Why?” Jessica asked suspiciously.
“They are not here.”
“No kidding.”
“They are on Gatonda,” Sosi explained.
“Never heard of it,” Jessica muttered.
“It is not far,” Sosi assured her. “Maybe, two hundred light years, I think yes.”
“Two hundred light years?” Jessica exclaimed. “You don’t call two hundred light years, far?”
“With jump drive, not far. You have jump drive, yes?”
“Yes.”
“Then no problem. We go, you see. Many Sugali fighters. Very good for you war, no?”
“There’s just one little problem,” Vladimir said. “Our ship will not be available for six hours.”
“Sosi cannot wait six hours,” Sosi warned. “Sosi cannot wait four hours. Sosi must leave very soon. Sosi very busy man.”
“We need to see those fighters,” Jessica insisted.
Sosi’s right eye looked at Jessica, while his left remained on Vladimir. After a moment, his left eye swung over, also looking
at Jessica.
“Fuck,” Jessica muttered, creeped out by Sosi’s independently moving eyes.
“I give you location, if you wish. But is very dangerous without Sosi to say you are good.”
“Can’t we just say ‘Sosi sent us’?” Jessica wondered.
“You can, but they not will believe. Very dangerous for you both, especially for you,” he added.
“Why me?” Jessica asked.
“Because you are female,” he told her. “Not many females on Gatonda. Not many pretty females.”
“I can handle myself,” Jessica assured him.
Sosi looked at Vladimir.
“She can,” Vladimir assured him.
“If you cannot, they kill you on Gatonda…or worse.”
“Worse than being killed?” Vladimir wondered.
“Many things worse than death there are,” Sosi insisted. “Many.”
Jessica looked at Vladimir for a moment, thinking. “You have a jump ship?” she asked Sosi.
“Sosi has, yes. Very nice jump ship, Sosi has.”
“Can you give us a lift?” Jessica wondered.
“Jess,” Vladimir started to object, only to be shushed by a wave of her hand.
“To Gatonda?”
“Yes.”
Sosi began to smile in a menacing fashion. “I take you,” he replied, obviously intrigued by the idea. “But it still will to be dangerous for you.”
“Even if we’re with the great Sosi?” Jessica wondered.
Sosi continued smiling. “Being with Sosi only mean you make it to surface and not be shot down. You must still to prove yourself to Gatondans.”
“Prove myself, how?”
“Combat,” Sosi replied. “How else?”
Jessica smiled. Vladimir did not.
* * *
While the eight additional Ghatazhak and their combat gear would take considerably longer, Nathan cleared arrival inspection in a matter of minutes. Now that the Seiiki had a reserved hangar bay only minutes from Doctor Symyri’s medical facility, he found himself at Miri’s side less than ten minutes after arriving on Sanctuary.
As expected, his sister’s expression was unchanged. She still looked as if she were in a deep, peaceful sleep and might wake at any moment—all of which made it harder.
“How long have you been here?” Doctor Chen asked as she entered the room.
“A few minutes,” Nathan replied. “How is she?”
“Unchanged.”
“Then why am I here?”
“Doctor Symyri wants to move her to one of his medical stasis pods.”
“Have you checked them out?”
“Yes, they are quite advanced.”
“What’s the advantage?” Nathan asked, still gazing at his sister’s face through the stasis pod window.
“Our stasis pods do not provide true stasis, only a reduced metabolic state. Symyri’s pods not only provide far better monitoring of her condition, but they can also provide true stasis; a complete cessation of the metabolic process. This is important, due to the corinite radiation she was exposed to in the blast. With RMS, the radiation is still degrading her tissues. With complete stasis, that degradation is halted. Even better, with Symyri’s pods, her level of stasis can be adjusted.”
“Adjusted?”
“Our RMS pods have two settings, on and off. Symyri’s pods can change the level of metabolic reduction.”
“How does that help?”
“Nanites can’t just go in and repair the body, not with the level of damage Miri has suffered. They need to monitor changes and adjust their programming accordingly. This requires the patient be put into full stasis for short periods, allowing the nanites to do their work, and then brought into partial stasis to allow the patient’s repaired tissues to react.” Doctor Chen paused a moment. “Think of it like you’re fixing leaks in a pipe, and you’re turning the water on every so often to see if the repair you just made is holding, before moving on to the next repair.”
“Seems simple.”
“Yes, but it’s not. The human body is very complex, with each component in each system relying on others to function properly. According to Doctor Symyri, if we were to simply keep her in deep stasis and let the nanites fix everything, we run the risk of incorrectly repaired tissues and systems, which could lead to even more problems.”
“Then, let’s move her.”
“It’s not that simple, Nathan,” Doctor Chen insisted. “Moving her requires that we turn off her stasis pod, and bring her out of stasis, before we can transfer her into one of Symyri’s pods. According to the first responder’s patient care reports, Miri’s heart stopped three times before they got her into stasis.”
“So you think she might not survive the transfer process,” Nathan surmised.
“It is a distinct possibility.”
Nathan looked at his sister for a moment. “What if we leave her in this stasis pod?”
“Most likely the tissue degradation, from the corinite radiation, will progress faster than the nanites can repair the damage.”
“So she’ll die.”
“Most likely, yes.”
“Most likely?”
Doctor Chen sighed. “If she stays in this stasis pod, it is not a matter of if, but when, she will die.”
“Are you certain?”
“No one can be one hundred percent certain, Captain.”
Nathan looked at Doctor Chen. “What would you do, Melei?”
Without hesitation, she replied, “I’d transfer her to a new pod, as soon as possible.”
Nathan studied his sister’s face.
“If the risk must be taken, better it be taken here. Symyri appears to know more than any doctor I’ve ever met, and his facilities and staff are so advanced, it’s hard to even compare them to ours.” Melei reached out to touch Nathan’s chin, turning his head toward her. “If anyone can save Miri, I believe it is Nikolori Symyri.”
“Thank you, Melei,” Nathan replied. He turned back to his sister again. “Miri is the strongest person I have ever known. She will survive this.” Nathan walked confidently past Melei toward to exit. “Transfer her as soon as possible.”
* * *
“Many worlds be willing to help Karuzari defeat Dusahn,” Sosi said while he monitored his ship’s flight systems. “For good price. But, is very dangerous for all. Dusahn have jump drives and long memories. Through back channels is best, maybe is only way.”
“I’ve got no problem with back channels,” Jessica replied, “as long as the price is right.”
“Price is what price is. Is not for debate.”
“The price is always negotiable,” Jessica argued.
“No, no, no. This you must not do. Especially on Gatonda. Especially since you are…”
“…Female?” Jessica finished for him. “Please.”
“You not understand,” Sosi told her. He looked at Vladimir. “She not understand.”
“Oh, she understands,” Vladimir assured him. “She just refuses to accept it.”
“Gatonda is part of Ilyan Gamaze. Gamaze is patriarchal, for as long as one remembers. A female not argue with male…not in public. They not allow this.” Sosi looked at Vladimir with pleading eyes. “Please, Vladimir, you make her understand.”
“Hey, I’m right here,” Jessica objected.
“Yes, yes, yes. This I know. But you cannot. They kill you. They kill us all.”
“Jess,” Vladimir said, “perhaps you should just play along…just this once?”
“You’re kidding, right?”
“Think of it as an undercover assignment,” Vladimir suggested.
“Yes, yes, yes,” Sosi agreed emphatically. “Underc
over…” Sosi looked at Vladimir. “What this means? Undercover?”
“Uh, clandestine? Pretend? Incognito?”
“Ah, Incognitaya!” Sosi spouted. “Yes, yes, yes. This you must do. Incognitaya!”
“I don’t believe this,” Jessica scowled. “You want me to pretend to be subservient to a bunch of misogynists?”
“One hundred Sugali fighters, Jessica,” Vladimir reminded her. “One hundred.”
“Big deal. Besides, even if we get them, who is going to fly them?”
“We have at least a hundred pilots among the Corinari,” Vladimir told her.
“How do you know that?” Jessica challenged.
“I heard Nathan and Cameron talking about them, trying to decide how to best utilize them.”
Jessica rolled her eyes. “I should have stayed on Sanctuary.”
“And trust me to negotiate this deal?” Vladimir pointed out.
“Yeah, you’re right. You’d fuck it up for sure.”
“Then, you will behave?” Sosi surmised.
“Oh, wrong word,” Jessica cautioned him.
“She will act appropriately,” Vladimir promised.
Sosi looked at Vladimir, then back at Jessica, then back to Vladimir again. “I not sure should I believe you.” Sosi sighed. “However, reward requires risk,” he added, rising from the pilot’s seat.
“Where are you going?” Vladimir wondered.
“It still forty minutes to we arrive,” Sosi explained. “I think I would prepare for us to eat something.”
“Please, allow me,” Jessica insisted in a sickeningly sweet tone. “That is women’s work. You must tend to your ship, Mister Orloff.”
Sosi and Vladimir both watched with mouths agape as Jessica departed the cockpit.
“Very convincing,” Sosi said, impressed.
“You see, there is nothing to worry about,” Vladimir said. “I hope.”
* * *
“Nathan,” Neli greeted as she opened the door, finding Nathan standing there. “Welcome to paradise,” she added, stepping aside and gesturing for him to enter.