Joan had to win this, had to make this right, for Yui’s sake as much as any other reason. “Your corporation set this all up, don’t you see? There’s no way we can defend ourselves against Dreadnaughts. Why aren’t you worried?”
“Please, listen to her, Engels!” Dario said from his hiding place.
“I’m not worried because I signed up for this mission. My company takes care of me, takes care of my family,” Engels said. He didn’t sound as sure as he had before.
Another wave of anger hit Joan. This dolt had killed Yui, and wouldn’t listen to reason, just as she had warned Dario in the hall. There was no point in her arguing with him further. Despite her better judgment, Joan stood from her crouch, abandoning the terminal’s cover, keeping her plasma pistol steady.
Engels must have seen the opening, because he moved as well, barely enough to expose himself.
They fired their weapons simultaneously.
Joan twisted with all the speed she could muster, slamming her body against the wall to try to evade the plasma pistol blast which would torch her as sure as it did her companion a moment before. The shot did miss, hitting the terminal behind her. The holovid of the ship battle outside flickered as the side of the terminal sparked.
Joan readied another shot, coming into a better view of her enemy.
Engels had collapsed to the floor. Her blast had blown a hole through his riot protection vest, smoking, blood red dripping from his stomach. Her weapon had not been on stun.
Joan stood there, weapon pointed at the body, breathing heavily. It pained her to have killed someone, but she managed to avenge Yui. That should have brought her some solace.
Commodore Zhang raised a brow at her. “Not the best at negotiations?”
Joan shook her head to clear her mind. “Nothing to negotiate. He was blinded by what her company told him, and we’d just be going around in circles while getting picked off.” Joan glanced back at the terminal. The two Dreadnaughts exchanged shots with the Trade Escort. The Trade Federation ship wouldn’t last much longer at this rate.
“Has your AI been able to restore any other functions?” Commodore Zhang asked.
Joan needed a question like that to keep herself focused. She had to keep her mind off of Yui. Off of their desperate situation. Clipping the plasma pistol to her belt, she moved backed over to the terminal.
Trian and Dario carefully stepped away from the engine units, glancing around the room. Trian moved for Yui, dropping to his knees and clutching her hand, bringing it to his chest. “Yui…”
Joan couldn’t bring herself to look over in that direction again. The others couldn’t afford for her to lose her cool. She was the only one with any connection to G.O.D., and by proxy the systems of the Shareholder.
“G.O.D., restore audio. Any updates?” Joan asked.
A high-pitched howl pierced through Joan’s skull, originating from her audio implant. She staggered backward.
Static resumed. “My apologies, Ms. Shengtu. Enacting multiple commands, even simple ones as to communicate with you and perform other functions is proving too much to handle. I am attempting to break through to the communications systems,” G.O.D. said. “There are several encryption levels by which to surpass, and a failed attempt resets each. This is heavier corporate security than we have encountered before.”
Security out in the colonies had nothing on these Trade Federation Mega-Corps. She should have known that from the start. Not like it would have done her any good if she had.
On the holovid, the Trade Escort received another bombardment of attacks from the two Dreadnaughts, one of which had circled around to flank the smaller ship. Its assault continued from forward and port batteries while its counterpart fired with equal intensity. The smaller vessel’s shield flickered, and then failed. The continued barrage reduced the ship to bits.
“A broadcast is coming from the Martine Star Empire vessels. I can play it over the speakers,” G.O.D. said.
“Do so,” Joan said.
The speakers engaged. “Trade Federation vessels. This is Captain Taylor of the S.E.S. Wizard. You have violated Star Empire space. You have ten minutes to leave the system or be destroyed.”
Commodore Zhang frowned. “He’s one of mine. My first officer when I still had ship command, before they handed me the fleet. I wish I could contact him.”
“Right now we can’t even turn this ship around,” Trian said. “Joan, is there anything your AI can do?”
“G.O.D.? You heard the question?” Joan asked.
“Stand by. Stand by. Stand by.” G.O.D. said. “Stand—Ms. Shengtu, I believe I have…” His vocal programming glitched.
“G.O.D.?” Joan asked, this time with more concern.
“What’s wrong?” Dario asked, moving toward her.
“I believe I have…” the glitch sounded again, a series of digital noises.
“You have what?” Joan asked.
“The virus… I….”
Joan’s earpiece went dead. She brought her hand to her ear, and glanced at the handtab opposite her risk. “Oh, no.”
She looked up at the others. “The virus. It’s completely overtaken him.”
Commodore Zhang rushed toward the holodisplay, staring at the Dreadnaughts lying in wait. The light reflected across her face. “Then we’re dead.
Chapter 37
Zero Authority
T.F.S. Shareholder—Martine Star Empire Neutral Zone
Local Date 1138.433
Dario stared at the terminal in front of him, the image of the Star Empire Dreadnaughts looming over it. The large ships moved so slowly against the star backdrops that they didn’t look that ominous, if he didn’t already know he was staring at his impending doom. Even from his limited corporate experience, Dario had seen enough newsvids to have watched Dreadnaughts in action. There were very few ships in any of the human systems that could match their firepower.
“Maybe we should try to wake one of the guards,” Trian said, motioning to the stunned personnel on the floor. “One of them may have had access to the external communication panels.”
“It isn’t always so easy to wake someone from stun fire,” Joan said. “Plus, the lead one wasn’t exactly helpful since arriving. Commodore Zhang tried to talk to him reasonably. I doubt any of the others would be given command authority like that.”
“We may have different results given our impending destruction,” Commodore Zhang said. She crouched down by one of the guards, a woman who Commodore Zhang rolled onto her back. “It can’t hurt to try to wake her at this point.” She glanced up to Joan. “You have no means to hack into the communications system?”
“Without G.O.D., I’m helpless,” Joan said. “I barely even know which buttons to push even if there were no security. I could maybe maneuver us if we had flight controls. The Megahauler’s bigger, but it’s not too different than the transport my parents used to fly before their accident.”
The image on the screen shifted as the Federation shuttle turned away, just as the Dreadnaught captain had ordered. Whoever was aboard had abandoned their mission to pick up Dario. His only escape valve had left him here, which he couldn’t blame their captain and crew for doing. Following orders wasn’t worth certain death.
Commodore Zhang inclined her head as if to give her own order, seemingly not noticing the change on the holodisplay. “Try what you can.” She patted the security guard on the cheek and shook her, but she didn’t stir.
Joan moved to the console, and Dario watched her. He tried not to hover over her shoulder, but he knew the corporate control boards fairly well, even if he didn’t know the specific system. “I am still connected to the nets, if there’s anything I can do to help,” he offered.
“Hmm,” Joan asked, looking at the console. “Can you pull schematics and see if navigation can be linked to this console? I know on my ship we have that ability in the engine room.”
Dario flicked his eyes upward, pulling up the search protocols. H
e scanned for flight controls. “No, it looks like the ship is well compartmentalized… wait a minute. I think I see something.” He scanned through the different systems. Where it should have been connected, it failed. “Ahh, it looks like there was a pathway, but it was shorted with the plasma blast to the terminal.”
“Damn,” Joan said, smacking the console. She tapped a few buttons on it again, which brought up a general communications screen. It was locked out via passcode, impossible to reach the outside. “Was hoping I’d get lucky and be able to send a message at the very least.” She turned to Dario, and in a sudden move, wrapped her arms around him.
He didn’t know what to do at first, freezing. After a moment, he embraced her in return, kissing the top of her head. Her hair smelled nice, even though the both of them hadn’t been able to sanitize in at least a day. “I’m scared too,” he whispered.
“This is the first time I was ever sure I was going to die. There’s always been a way out, something. I’ve had G.O.D. to help me through things. I don’t know what to do. I hate not being in control,” Joan said, frowning.
“We can’t control life,” Dario said. Or love for that matter. How much simpler would it have been if he hadn’t met Joan, hadn’t found his way into her world? He would still be back at the corporation, working through his daily routines. How much he would have missed though. He pulled her closer, his arms around her. If this was their end, he wouldn’t have missed it for all of the safety and security the company could offer.
“No, we can’t,” Commodore Zhang said, frowning over the unmoving security guard in front of her. “But we need to think of alternatives quickly. Any ideas. Let’s brainstorm.”
Dario broke off the embrace and slipped over to the terminal, ignoring the holodisplay of the ships above.
A communication came through from the Dreadnaughts. “Megahauler, respond. This is your final warning. Turn back or we will be forced to open fire.”
He input his authorization code, just to be certain that his authority no longer applied. As he expected the terminal balked at the command. The codes had been changed. But what could they have been changed to? Someone on the board, or perhaps his father may have changed it.
“They’re powering weapons,” Commodore Zhang said under her breath.
“How can you tell?” Trian asked.
Commodore Zhang pointed. “See the red spot under the port nose? They heat in order to fire their charges.”
Joan moved to Dario’s side, gripping some of his shirt by his waist, and looking over his shoulder. She said nothing, but he could feel her fear.
He thought for another moment, then tried to input his mother’s name— Madison. That did no good. The terminal screen warned him that one more failed access and the system would lock him out completely. “Dammit,” Dario said.
“What’re you doing?” Joan asked.
“Trying to see if I can guess the access code to the communications systems. Trying to think of what corporate or my father would choose, but this last guess has to be a good one,” Dario said.
“I wouldn’t be much of a help there,” Joan said.
“It’s probably a random string of letters or numbers,” Commodore Zhang said.
Dario shook his head. “Most of our shared passcodes have had some corporate purpose. Marketing related, something to do with work. We’re not a military outfit. It’s thought that it’s better to have codes that are easy to remember for employees.”
“Maybe it’s something to do with that party. That was recent, right?”
Dario turned to look at Joan, considering. That was the night they’d met, where, now that he’d had some time to separate himself from his father, he realized he had made his decision to push against the corporate agenda. It was truly love at first sight.
He snuck a glance and met Joan’s eyes, giving her a small smile.
“What?” Joan asked, cocking her head in confusion.
“Nothing, just thinking.” He turned around again. He could get lost in Joan’s eyes forever if she’d let him. Hopefully they’d survive this and she would at that. He bit his lip and input the word “RetroSilver”.
The communications panel lit up, giving him access. Marketing trumped all. The Regency BioTech way. Anything to promote the bottom line. Even the death of thousands.
Joan jumped behind him, squeezing him from behind. “You did it!”
Commodore Zhang made her way over, laughing to herself. “Truly? What are the odds?”
“Send a message, quickly!” Trian said.
Dario connected to the communications system with his oculars, opening a channel from direct input instead of tapping the panel. If there were one thing he’d been good at over the years, it was moving quickly through his implants.
The terminal in front of them chirped.
“Dreadnaughts, hold your fire!” Joan shouted. “We have Commodore Zhang!”
A moment passed. “Commodore Zhang? We won’t respond to threats, Megahauler.”
Joan made a motion to wave him away from the console, even though the channel was audio only. “No, I don’t mean it like that. I mean—”
“I’m here,” Commodore Zhang said, her authoritative calm exuding through her voice. “Safe. I’ve been rescued. Though I would appreciate you standing down weapons.”
“Commodore,” the voice that had earlier announced himself as Captain Taylor said, surprised. “But how? That doesn’t matter now. Should we send a boarding party?”
“It would be appreciated. You may have to contend with Trade Federation security. There is also a large cargo bay filled with displaced refugees. We’ll send you over a schematic of the ship and where we’re located so you don’t run into too many entanglements. Tell your men to set stun weapons. It’d be best to keep the loss of life minimal.”
“Aye, sir,” Captain Taylor said. “Taylor out.”
Dario exchanged hugs with Trian, Joan and Commodore Zhang. They weren’t going to be shot out of the sky! He could hardly believe it himself.
“Wow,” Trian said.
“You said it,” Joan agreed. “Now what?” She looked to Commodore Zhang.
“We should maintain our positions here,” Zhang said. She grabbed weapons off the guards on the floor, handing Dario and Trian one each. “Security might try to recapture me while they board, to be used as a bargaining chip. My gut feeling is we took out the team that they could spare while still maintaining order, but we should still be vigilant.” She glanced down at the passed out guards on the floor once more before turning her attention back to them. “Then we go home.”
They waited in their positions for several minutes, keeping a communication line open with the boarding party from the Wizard while they made their way through the ship. Commodore Zhang’s hunch about the security force not having any additional help proved correct, and soon Dario and the others were greeted by military officers, in gear very similar to their prior captors, with a yellow patch with the Star Empire symbol on the shoulders.
One soldier moved to attention in front of Commodore Zhang and saluted.
Commodore Zhang returned the salute. “Commander Klik, good to see you again.” The hardened leader of the Star Empire’s naval fleets broke a smile. “At ease.”
Klik dropped his salute. “It’s good to see you again, sir.”
“You as well,” Commodore Zhang said, then motioned to the other soldiers. “All of you. Let’s get out of here and bring these civilian refugees to safety. Lead the way, commander.”
“Aye aye, sir,” Commander Klik said then turned back toward the door. The other soldiers followed him.
Dario walked back alongside Joan, fingers entwined. He vowed to himself to never leave her side again.
Epilogue
Command Center—Markham’s World
Local Date 1138.433
The next several days had gone by in a whir. Joan had been escorted from room to room, delivering interview after interview as she recoun
ted the details of her trip to Mars to different boards, committees, and military agencies she hadn’t even known existed. Sometimes Trian gave a testimony beside her, sometimes not, but they’d kept her separated from Dario, much to her chagrin.
There were rumblings that Dario was going to be indicted for Regency BioTech’s attempted murder of thousands of civilians, though Joan hoped that she’d given enough clear detail about how he had been integral in stopping their crazy plan.
Three days into Joan’s return to Star Empire space, news reports from Trade Federation proper stated that the Trade Federation’s Joint Chiefs of Staff had no knowledge of the Regency BioTech plans to remove their underprivileged population. Regency BioTech came under scrutiny via the Intergalactic Trade Commission, and their stock had reportedly dropped by over fifty percent from the allegations alone. A formal trial and reparations would be forthcoming.
At least the Trade Federation, with all of its flaws, saw injustice when there was something of this magnitude, even if they’d never shown any such scruples in their past dealings with the colonies.
Joan stood by the window of her temporary apartment, a cozy space provided by the Council of Ministers. She couldn’t help but think about Trantine X, worrying about its inhabitants.
It had been four weeks since the Blob attack. So many buildings had been leveled. It would be months before the planet could recover, and perhaps it wouldn’t at all, given the loss of life. That attack had lasted mere hours, and the Blob had moved on. Joan had moved on as well, truth being told. Her life had been such a flurry she barely had any time to reflect on that.
She wondered what injustices the Blob thought that humankind brought to them. If there was anything to be learned from her recent experiences, it’s that people nearly always believed their cause to be righteous, and that their enemies were the ones creating the problems. It probably held true for alien species as well, though she certainly couldn’t be considered an expert in extraterrestrial cultures.
Star Realms: Rescue Run Page 29