They’d ask the Captains over dinner. They worked with the fabricator to make place settings complete with flowers, as they had learned the fabricator was capable of much more than just brownies.
When the Captains arrived, Braden and Micah, using the wall as cover, took out their blasters and peeked around the corner. They half expected the Android leader to be with them, but they were alone and unarmed. They hurriedly holstered their blasters and walked into the open, smiling as they greeted the Captains.
Micah instantly saw why she thought Treecia was a woman. His uniform was cut for a woman, complete with space for breasts. He had long hair and a feminine face, no hint of a beard. The old Treecia had stubble. They looked the same, but different, more father/daughter than the original and a younger copy.
“We know our way around a fabricator, so if you’d like to be seated, we will deliver your dinner momentarily. We hope you like vegetable omelets with hash browns and a red wine.” Both Captains shrugged as if they didn’t know what an omelet was. If that was the case, they were in for a treat.
They ordered everything, removing each dish as the fabricator dinged, then delivered them to the table.
“I have to say, young lady, that I’ve never enjoyed a meal from the fabricator like this one. I didn’t know such things were possible,” said the old Treecia.
“The difference is that your fabricator doesn’t talk. Ours in New Sanctuary does. It helps you plan your meals, offers different options depending on your taste or your mood.”
Once they finished eating, they pushed back from the table. The Captains both closed their eyes and sighed. Their mannerisms were identical. Braden and Micah cleared the table, returning everything to the fabricator. They ordered four brownies and passed them out when they were ready.
If four weren’t enough, they could always order more.
Now that they had the Captains’ attention, it was time to get down to business.
35 – We’re Doing This
“Why are there no women here? We didn’t see any in the aft section of the ship either.” Braden asked.
“Something happened where the women couldn’t have babies anymore. For some reason, the cloning process didn’t work with them before they were dead. Cloning live tissue greatly increases the chance of success. I’m pretty sure that’s the correct explanation. I don’t know. I may look old, but all of that happened before I was born. The Androids take care of the cloning. I really couldn’t tell you how it’s done or why it works, but it does.”
“I don’t trust the Androids, not one bit,” Micah said firmly. She clenched her fists when she mentioned the Androids. A confrontation with them grew more inevitable.
“Will the Androids agree to realign the ship?”
The young Captain Atwood hemmed and hawed, not committing to anything, which was all the answer Micah needed.
“If you can’t convince them to do this, we will be forced to kill them. The human survivors need us. Yes, they’re almost all clones, but they carry with them the knowledge of the Cygnus system. We can’t lose that.”
“And we can’t lose everything the Androids know, either,” the older Captain Atwood countered.
“The easiest way to do that is for them to help or stand aside. I get the feeling that they’ll interfere, try to stop us. We went to a Maintenance and Service space. There were four Androids there, working at stations that weren’t powered up. Then they attacked us. After the fight, we found a number of human bodies shoved in a storeroom.” Micah paused for effect.
“I can’t speak for other Androids. Those on the Bridge are incapable of harming humans. It’s basic to their programming,” the younger Captain said and shook his head. He’d known the Bridge Crew Androids his whole life. He thought to himself, ‘They keep the ship running and these two interlopers make it sound like the Androids are the enemy. Maybe if these new humans got to know them…’
‘G, any insight from our clone friends? I don’t get the feeling they appreciate our position. G?’ Braden asked the ‘cat to help. He knew they needed the Captains’ help if they were to compromise with the Androids, and Holly would be insufferable if they destroyed any equipment on the Bridge. Fighting was the last resort.
‘Yes. They will talk with the Androids, but they will defer to whatever the Androids decide. They are more afraid of you than the Androids. You’ve upset their world, where the Androids have never done that.’
‘I think you’ve been spending too much time with Aadi, you’re starting to sound like him,’ Braden said.
‘We’ll both take that as a compliment, Master Human,’ Aadi added as he hovered near the table, watching closely.
The Captains grew uncomfortable with the pause in the conversation. G-War was right. They were afraid of the new humans. The so-called President and her animal minions were upsetting their idea of a delicate balance of their massive ship.
Braden recovered, seeing the others’ anxiety. “What difference do you want to make with your life?”
“What? We’re Captain of the ship. It’s what we were made for. It’s what we’ll do until we die.”
“But, can you tell if you’ve made a difference? Day in and day out, you do the little things, but I expect the Androids would do them without you. This is your chance to save lives. It’s something different, something bigger than yourselves, bigger than all of us.” Braden leaned close as he talked with the Captains, using his experience in making the trader connection with a customer.
“We make a difference by sitting in the Captain’s chair. We need no greater purpose. There is no greater purpose,” the old Captain said definitively.
Braden was losing him. “What do you say we get some sleep, think on it, and talk more in the morning?” Everyone nodded, they shook hands and the young Captain went to his room. The old Captain Atwood went straight to the elevator, heading for the Bridge.
Braden and Micah looked at the table. The Captains had left everything behind for them to clean up. “I think they were raised wrong,” Micah suggested with a smirk. They put the remaining dirty dishes into the fabricator. They ordered two more glasses of wine and two brownies.
Ben and Diego arrived from the Bridge and went straight to their rooms. They wouldn’t look at Braden or Micah. ‘G?’
‘They’re afraid. The Androids have told them not to listen to us. They expect we won’t take no for an answer.’
‘Thanks, G. We’re on our way to the Aviary; there’s no way we’re staying in here. Then, we’ll make plans to take over the Bridge.’
36 – Battle for the Bridge
Even with the noise of the Aviary and the anxiety of an impending fight, they slept well. It was more natural for them than sleeping in a dirty room, inside another dirty room.
The shipboard humans had lost their humanity. That grated on Braden’s soul. Setting up the trade route in the south had been about bringing civilization, about improving the lives of the villagers. It was about making humanity better.
The Bridge Crew humans were the opposite. They were alive, but didn’t live.
“I don’t want to kill the humans if we can avoid it.” He hung his head as he contemplated their attack. They’d engaged the companions in planning as they all had a role to play. They brought Holly into the plan to make sure they protected critical work stations.
They memorized what stations to avoid. When they fired their blasters, they couldn’t miss. Nothing on the Bridge would benefit from getting blasted.
Except the Androids. But Holly wanted one captured intact so he could break into its programming. They said they’d try, but that wouldn’t be their first priority.
Or second for that matter.
They tucked extra gear into the hover car. They couldn’t risk getting tangled during the upcoming fight. G-War wanted his protective covering off so he could move better, but the humans refused. It was more important to wear now than at any other time. Holly said the Androids should be equipped with small las
ers that they used when doing maintenance. If they fired those at the companions, the powered armor would mean the difference between life and death. None of the companions could match Android strength, especially since they could magnetize their feet to give themselves leverage that no one else had in zero-g.
Zyena was unprotected, so she had to stay in the corridor. She still had a critical role as she couldn’t allow anyone to escape. Everyone else was needed on the Bridge.
Moment of truth.
They climbed aboard the elevator.
The elevator doors opened to the access corridor. They looked out quickly, glad to see no one. Their attack would have failed before it began if the Androids had set up an ambush.
Maybe the Androids had never been in a fight, and they held out hope that the new humans would reconsider. The Androids were ready to fight, but wouldn’t initiate the battle.
Braden and Micah reached the hatch first. They would go through and close the hatch behind them. They would ask about the plan to align the ship while they got themselves into position. Then the companions would enter the Bridge and the takeover would begin. That was the entire plan. Simple, but an easy plan executed violently would always win out over a complex plan executed tentatively.
With a deep breath, Micah opened the hatch. The music started playing and she propelled herself through. Braden followed, shutting the hatch behind him. The companions stayed out of sight. Braden moved aside and let Phil, sitting in Ben’s place, look past him to see nothing except empty corridor. Phil looked in shock as Micah smiled at his broken face. She pulled herself close, watching him wince as she continued past.
The old Captain Atwood sat in the command chair. The Androids had moved and were no longer strapped in. They stood in separate, distant areas of the Bridge. Gill worked at his console from within the webbing of the pilot’s seat. That’s where Micah was headed. Braden moved left and down from the entry hatch toward an area Holly deemed critical. On their previous visit, it had been empty, but this time, two Androids occupied the space. Braden decided to get close to minimize the risk of hitting those systems.
The sphere left a great deal of area that Braden and Micah could not cover with their blasters. The Androids were over their heads and to the side. The Android leader stood, attached to a beam near Treecia. The stage was set: eight Androids, three potential human enemies, two friendly humans, a Hillcat, one Hawkoid, one Tortoid, and a Lizard Man. And one hundred work stations, forty of which were critical to flying the ship. The other sixty would be extremely useful as Holly pleaded with them to take care when firing.
“Good morning, Treecia. Good morning, Gill. Have you looked at our problem to see if it’s possible?” Micah asked in a friendly tone as she continued to pull herself forward.
“Where’s your equipment?” the Android leader asked in his monotone. The speed at which he asked the question indicated his wariness. Micah was smooth with her answer.
“We figured since we’re going to be here a while working on this problem, we’d try to be more comfortable. We need to look at all the information before we can make the best decision, don’t you think?” she said calmly, ending with a nod.
“I think that’s the best way...” the old Treecia started to say.
“Very well. We’ve already determined that moving the ship is too great a risk.” The Android leader stood stoically, attached to one of the cross beams they treated like a deck. Everyone else moved by pulling themselves along the handholds.
“Okay, let’s hear what Gill has to say. If you were to align the ship with planet Cygnus VI, what would you do first?” She pulled herself close to the screens that marked the front of the Bridge.
Gill looked at the Android leader and then down at his terminal. “I wouldn’t do anything,” he said weakly.
“I see,” Micah said in a low voice. “I think you and I need to talk.” She looked at the Android leader and started pulling herself toward him. Captain Atwood tensed.
‘Get ready to open the hatch, Pik. I’ll take the two down here. Micah will take the leader. We’ll figure out the other five as we go. I don’t think the humans will be a problem once the shooting starts,’ Braden said in his thought voice as he reached the two Androids in the critical area of the Bridge.
“Hey, guys! Can you show me what this stuff does?” Both Androids stopped what they were doing and stood up straight, turning toward him. “Whoa, guys. We’re all on the same ship, just trying to do a little bit better with each daylight.” He stopped pulling himself and without looking away from the Androids, wedged a foot between two beams. He held tightly with one hand. He was stable and thought about his first shot at the close Android and the second shot at the further Android. How would he take the shot when the first Android floated away lifeless?
Those thoughts went through his head in less than a heartbeat. Pik looked through the window, knowing that all eyes were on Micah. As she approached the Android leader, Pik opened the hatch. Phil was the first to react.
“It’s their animals!” he shouted.
The Android leader made the mistake of turning to look. Micah pulled her blaster and as she floated toward the Android, she leveled it and pulled the trigger, holding the beam of light on his chest until he sparked and floated free. She reached for the nearest handhold, missing it as her momentum carried her into the dead Android. She bounced into him and tried to push off. He flew quickly away, while she stopped in midair.
Braden’s blaster tore a scar across the closer Android as it started to move when he fired. He couldn’t hold the beam in one place. The Android pushed toward him. Braden let the trigger go briefly as he re-aimed and fired a beam into the rapidly approaching forehead. Braden saw the light go from the thing’s eye. It crashed into him, dead, but tore him from his perch.
With one hand he pulled himself back upright to find the other Android on him. One hand pointed at his chest, unleashing a tight green beam. Braden’s clothes smoked but his protective armor kept the beam from burning through. He swung himself forward, leading with his feet and kicking the Android in the chest.
The laser beam skipped away from his body and over his arm as the Android lost its aim. With its second hand, it grabbed Braden’s foot in its mechanically augmented grip. He yelped with pain, before aiming at the thing’s head and killing it.
Aadi swam toward the furthest Android, which was actively doing something on its terminal. It stopped mid-stroke when Aadi’s thunderclap exploded its chest.
Phil released himself from his chair and bent his legs for a powerful thrust toward Micah. Pik was ready for this and pushed forward. When the human’s muscles tensed, Pik drove his spear through the man’s back. Phil screamed and tried to free himself. Blood streamed into the air, floating in dark red globules. Pik watched as Phil’s struggles died down. He died quickly. Pik tried to pull his spear out but lacked leverage, until he lifted his feet and kicked Phil away from him. More blood flowed from the gaping wound into a puddle that floated with Phil’s dead body.
Skirill made his presence known by flying across the sphere of the Bridge toward one of the remaining Androids. He crashed into the machine claws first, hoping to lift him away from his terminal. The Android stayed solid and grabbed one of the Hawkoid’s legs. He flung Skirill away as if he were a dead chicken. Feathers flew and Skirill tumbled against the screen that surrounded the Bridge. He pulled himself together as he sought a hand grip to hold.
A screech from the hatch announced Zyena’s displeasure with the handling of her mate. She pushed off and flew toward the same Android. Micah reached out a hand and pushed the female Hawkoid off her line of travel as she passed. The Hawkoids were ineffective against the Androids, and Micah didn’t want Zyena to get hurt for no reason.
G-War pulled himself along the handholds until he was close to the command chair. With one last pull, he floated into the Captain’s chest, where he embedded three claws and raised the fourth, threatening to slice the Captain’s throa
t. Treecia relaxed against the restraints holding him in the seat.
Micah pushed off toward Skirill’s Android. Shooting her blaster as she flew in a line toward the machine. “Shoot like this--the aim holds true,” she yelled to Braden. He tried to follow her lead. When he pushed off, his ankle hurt more than he realized. His push went crooked. He caught a handhold and tried again, pushing with one leg. As he flew straight, the Android fired its laser beam at the same time Braden pulled the trigger. His beam hit the Android in the forehead. Its laser hit Braden’s hand, the one he used to stabilize the weapon. He flinched at the searing pain, pulled his aim down the Android’s face. He let up on the trigger just before the beam left the Android’s body. The damage was done.
To both of them.
The Android floated free. When Braden looked down, only stubs remained of the last two fingers on his left hand. The laser had burned through them both at the first knuckle.
He kept looking at his hand, until he ran into a floating body. He stopped himself and looked around. The last Android was feverishly making hand motions and tapping the workstation screen. Aadi attacked him with the last of his focused thunderclaps. The thing bulged, but didn’t split. Its eyes went blank and it started drifting.
Gill was free from his restraints and seemed ready to push off somewhere, but Micah froze him in place with her stare.
She shook her head and he buckled himself back in.
‘Holly, I’m sorry to say that we were unable to capture any of the Androids. The good news is the Bridge is secure with no damage to critical systems.’ She looked around. ‘No damage to any of the systems. Now tell us what we need to do to get this thing aligned. Let’s go save some people.’
37 – Controlling the Bridge
“We’re going to align the ship and then we’re going to put it right back here, so you can continue your dismal existence doing nothing.” Braden looked hard at the old Captain Atwood. G-War continued to hang onto the oldster.
Adventures on RV Traveler (Free Trader Series Book 3) Page 14