Superdreadnought 1: A Military AI Space Opera

by CH Gideon

  “Ooh, he’ll love that,” Jiya told her.

  “It’s still experimental,” Geroux admitted with a shrug, “but it’s a solid theory. It should work fine.”

  “I’m sure he’ll test it as soon as it’s in place,” Jiya said. “Anyway, I’ll let you two keep working. I need to get back to making sure the crew finds someplace to put all the damn supplies we picked up.” She sighed. “There is so much damn shit.”

  “Better to have a surplus than demand,” Takal muttered, not bothering to look up from the piece of armor he was working on.

  “So true,” Jiya admitted. She gave Geroux a hug and waved goodbye to them both.

  Jiya still had a ton of work to catch up on, but first, she headed for the galley.

  She needed some of that coffee that was keeping Geroux running. A gallon or two should work.

  Chapter Twenty

  A few days later, the core crew sat hunched in the newly-organized mess hall.

  Work had continued unabated on the superdreadnought since their departure from Lariest space, the new crew settling in nicely and finding their way around the ship. The galley hummed with activity although it was still hours before lunchtime. That gave the small gathering of Jiya, Geroux, Takal, Maddox, and Ka’nak the room almost to themselves.

  “Now this,” Ka’nak held up a fork weighed down with a hunk of beef, juice dripping to his plate, “is a meal for a man.” He stuffed the food into his mouth, chewing enthusiastically.

  “It’s also way more than you should be stuffing into even your big-ass mouth,” Jiya teased as he chewed with his mouth open.

  “Come on, now,” Geroux mumbled. “You’re squirting juice everywhere.”

  “Sharing my joy,” Ka’nak said through a mouthful.

  Reynolds came into the room, heavy steps sounding in the empty hall.

  The crew made to stand, but Reynolds waved them back to their seats. “Don’t need any of that in the mess hall,” he told them, coming over and dropping into a seat across from Jiya with a sigh.

  “What’s up?” Geroux asked. “You’re looking…less shiny today.”

  Reynolds raised a metallic eyebrow. “A nice coating of pseudo-flesh would be nice.” He cast a glance in Takal’s direction.

  “I’m working on it,” Takal replied. “Do you know how hard it is to craft quality synthetic skin that won’t tear with every movement?”

  “No, but I suspect you’re going to tell me,” Reynolds replied.

  “You’re damn right I am,” Takal answered. “It’s quite difficult, if you must know. First, you need to—”

  “Is that what’s bothering you?” Jiya asked the AI, tuning out the old scientist. “You not looking like a meatbag?”

  He shook his head. “Only a little,” he admitted.

  “Then what is it?”

  Reynolds grunted. “I’d expected us to run into Kurtherians by now,” he grumbled, the new voice synthesizer Takal had implanted making him sound almost human. “We’ve been searching forever.”

  “It’s only been about a week,” Ka’nak countered.

  “Yeah, but still…” Reynolds whined. “I need some damn action. We’ve been crisscrossing the galaxy, and we haven’t run into anything.”

  “Maybe we’re going about this the wrong way,” Jiya suggested.

  “What do you mean?”

  “Well,” she said, drawing in a deep breath and wondering how the AI would take her criticism, “while your algorithm is a good idea, allowing us to check off sections of the galaxy as uninhabited and free of Kurtherians, we’re kind of…uh, chasing our tail a bit.”

  “How so?” Reynolds asked.

  “I mean, if these Kurtherians are as bad as you say they are—”

  “Oh, they are,” Reynolds assured her.

  “Then what reason do they have to hide in the far reaches of empty space?” Jiya asked. “Bad guys do bad things, right?”

  “Makes sense to me,” Ka’nak agreed.

  The AI glanced at the ceiling, clearly processing.

  Maddox chuckled. “So, you’re saying that we’re wasting our time scraping the edge of the universe, thinking these Kurtherians are looking for dark corners to hide in?”

  “Exactly that,” Jiya answered. “What’s there to be gained out in the middle of nowhere?”

  “Nothing,” Geroux answered.

  “Precisely. That’s why I say we should quit trying to do this systematically and actually throw a little chance into the mix.”

  “How so?” Reynolds asked.

  “Let’s find a world that’s crowded with people, a crossroads of sorts. Somewhere a bunch of different races come together and mingle,” she replied. “Where better to find someone than where everyone is?”

  “You have someplace in mind?” Reynolds wondered.

  Jiya shrugged. “Not particularly. Shit, I’ve never been away from Lariest before now. Still, there were a few places in Marianas that drew people from all over the planet.”

  “Detrol,” Geroux said, shaking her head. “That place was a blast. Everyone who was anyone could be found there at one time or another.”

  “Wait!” Takal mumbled. “You’ve gone to Detrol?”

  Geroux stiffened. “Uh, no, but I’ve heard a lot of good things about it.”

  Jiya laughed. “Come on now, Takal. It’s a little late to mother her, don’t you think? You let her join a crazy AI and fly off into the wild black yonder, but you won’t let her party every now and again?”

  “I resent that,” Reynolds growled.

  Jiya met his glare with a grin. “Anyway, I’m thinking we need to go somewhere there are a bunch of people. Somewhere the Kurtherians could be up to no good.”

  “How about Dal’las Tri?” Ka’nak suggested.

  “What’s that?” Maddox asked, leaning in.

  “It’s a mercenary planet,” the Melowi replied. “At least on the surface.”

  “What do you mean?” Jiya asked.

  “Well, it’s where one goes to hire mercenaries, although they have a robust economy on their own because of trade, but as with any military establishment, there are casinos and theaters and all sorts of friendly attractions. Lots of bright lights and shiny people,” he answered. “But there’s also a dark, gritty side to the place. Lots of fight pits and gambling.”

  He glanced around as if someone might be listening in.

  “Not that I know this personally or anything…”

  Reynolds remained stoic, not taking the bait.

  Ka’nak smiled at the AI before continuing, “There are a lot of underground markets there, and I don’t mean literally under the ground, though there are some of those, too.”

  “Black markets?” Geroux asked.

  Ka’nak nodded. “Besides the mercenary trade, there’s stuff you don’t want to dig too deeply into unless you’re looking for serious trouble. The place is a hotbed of illegal activity and, if you’re looking to get into something bad, that’d be the place I’d go. Anything you can think of can be bought on the planet.”

  “Makes sense that your Kurtherians might have a presence there,” Maddox said, scratching his chin. “Might be worth checking out.”

  “You may be right about this.” Reynolds nodded his agreement. “Helm,” he said into the comm, “set a course for Dal’las Tri. We’ve got some Kurtherian ass to kick. Well, find, then kick.”

  “Opening a Gate now,” Helm came back. “Can’t wait.”

  “Maybe I can ply my trade. Make a few extra credits for my troubles while interrogating whoever I’m beating the crap out of.” Ka’nak grinned like a wolf.

  “You just want to get into trouble,” Jiya told him.

  He shrugged. “Who doesn’t?”

  The trip to Dal’las Tri was fast and easy.

  “You sure you don’t want to come with us?” Jiya asked Reynolds, but the AI waved her off.

  “Given that I look like a science experiment gone wrong, it’s probably best I let you run poin
t on this excursion. I’ll be here if you need anything.”

  “And me,” Comm added.

  “Me, too,” Tactical said.

  “And—” XO started, but Geroux cut him off.

  “Yeah, guys, we get it,” she said, shaking her head. “We’ll reach out if we run into trouble.”

  Tactical sniffed. “Kids,” he mumbled, sounding sad. “They grow up and leave home so fast these days.”

  Geroux rolled her eyes. “Time to go?”

  “As quickly as possible,” Jiya replied, marching off the bridge and waving the rest of the crew after her.

  Ka’nak and Takal strolled alongside her, and Maddox took up the rear.

  “Bring us some presents!” Comm called.

  “Preferably some Kurtherian heads,” Tactical added. “Unattached, of course.”

  “See what we can do.” Jiya gave a thumbs-up and led the crew to the shuttle.

  Once they all boarded, Helm wasted no time getting them planetside.

  “Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do,” Helm told them as they debarked, the shuttle lifting off on its way back to the superdreadnought.

  Jiya looked after the departing shuttle. “I don’t know what you wouldn’t do, but I’ll make sure not to do that.”

  Once they’d made it off the crowded tarmac it was an immediate culture shock, the landing area opening directly into the heart of the city.

  “Holy…” Ka’nak muttered. “This is even grander than I expected.”

  “Isn’t it?” Geroux replied, eyes wide, taking everything in.

  Brilliant lights were everywhere. Flashing signs advertised everything from smokes to armies to private liaisons to gambling and special events, the advertisements written in a hundred different languages or more.

  Towering buildings rose into the sky around them as they walked, not a blank surface on any of their walls. People strolled the streets, openly drinking, laughing, and chatting as they flowed between the various casinos that littered the main walk.

  Pristinely-dressed people stood before the wide-open doorways, hawking their location’s benefits over their competitors, the voices blurring as they screamed over one another.

  “This place is huge. Is the mercenary business this formal and well-funded?” Geroux wondered. “There’s no way we’ll be able to look into everything without spending the rest of our lives here.”

  “I’m okay with that,” Ka’nak said, eyes wide as he stared at all the signs. “I’m in no hurry to go back.”

  “We’re on a mission, Ka’nak,” Jiya reminded him. “We’ve got things to accomplish. Please try to remember that.”

  He sighed and nodded. “I’ll try.”

  Jiya spun in a slow circle, taking the whole of the place in. Geroux was right; Dal’las-Tri was huge and swarming with people. If they were going to find Kurtherians among the crowd, they were going to have to become part of it.

  “Okay, how about this?” she asked. “We split up and canvass the crowds; troll the areas where the most people are gathered. We move among the crowd, scanning and checking for Kurtherian activity. If they were looking for an army or just enough people to stir things up, this would be the place.”

  She pointed at Geroux and Ka’nak, thinking the young girl could keep the warrior somewhat in line if they were paired up. “You two go that way, and Maddox and I will go this way.” She jabbed a finger at Ka’nak after motioning which way each group was going. “Don’t leave her behind, Ka’nak. Stay together no matter what happens, you hear me? And stay in touch.”

  He nodded slowly, cocking his head as he contemplated something. “I hear you.” His sly grin didn’t instill confidence. He gestured to Geroux. “Come on, kid, let’s go find some aliens.”

  Jiya brandished her Etheric detector at them. Geroux held hers up to show that she had it. Geroux shrugged and hurried after the Melowi warrior, waving goodbye to Jiya and Maddox.

  “You think that’s a good idea?” Maddox asked her once they were gone.

  “Not really, no,” she admitted, “but there’s no way we’ll be able to search everywhere if we stick together. We’re kind of winging it on this one.”

  “As good a plan as any to pick out these Kurtherians since our scanners are so short range,” Maddox admitted. “Maybe Takal can create something with a little more oomph that we can use from orbit.”

  “Maybe, but right now, all we have are the vaguest of descriptions and these toys.”

  “Fair enough,” Maddox said as the pair continued down the street, weaving between the clusters of passersby.

  After a while, Maddox stopped and shook his head. He leaned over to Jiya’s ear and whispered, “While there are a good number of people wandering about,” he motioned toward the crowd, “they look more like tourists than anything. I think we need to go into the markets and casinos since that’s where the action is. That’s more likely where we’re going to find answers.”

  Jiya glanced over his shoulder through the entrance to the nearest trade market. Hundreds of people milled about just inside, and there were game tables and machines as far as she could see. It looked like a weapons convention where people could interact virtually with the arms for sale, and it was packed.

  Mercenaries and weapons.

  She nodded. “I think you’re right,” she said, ushering him through the doors.

  The smell of unwashed bodies, discharged plasma, and gunpowder was stifling. They made one pass, paying particular attention to the vendors.

  “No pictures!” a pig-faced creature yelled at her when she waved her Etheric detector in his direction. He reached for the device, and Jiya rabbit-punched him in his snout. He fell back, his fellow vendors descended on him to poke fun for getting his ass kicked by a female. She and Maddox used the distraction to disappear into the throng.

  A full circuit took more time than they wanted, but they didn’t have a limit, only a mission. Jiya thought about it, deciding she had nowhere else to go. Reynolds and the mission had become her life, which meant that people like Maddox, Ka’nak, Takal, and Geroux were her family. Her life was also about taking care of them.

  She had never thought of herself as a mother. She’d never been stable enough in life to consider it. She clapped Maddox on the back. “What do you think, General? Shall we give the gaudy game place next door a shot?”

  “Players are always more free with their words when bets are on the table.” Maddox grinned and led Jiya next door, and shot straight toward the thickest part of the crowd. Jiya followed closely, silencing her inner voice and listening to the peoples’ conversations as she passed—a trick she’d learned long ago by eavesdropping on her father’s council talks.

  It was harder to do here because there was a constant low-pitched hum in the air, but she managed to ignore it and listen in.

  “Selas is fucking drunk! Did you see her?”

  “…starving. When are we gonna eat?”

  “Nothing but sharks at that table. I’ll bet they…”

  “Hey, baby. Whatcha doin’ after work tonight?”

  Jiya and Maddox broke through the crowd, and she scrubbed her mind of the image of the old, shaggy-haired man hitting on the buxom waitress just trying to do her job and deliver drinks to the patrons.

  She’d barely managed it when Maddox tapped her on the shoulder.

  “Hey,” he started, “I’m going to hang out here and get the feel of the place.” The general gestured toward a gaming table a large group of people was gathered around. There was an empty seat in the middle of it all as the cards flittered across the table.

  Jiya nodded. “Okay. I’ll keep wandering and see what I can find.”

  Maddox muttered his agreement and went over, flopping down on the stool and joining the game. Reynolds had given them credits to use, so Maddox settled in quickly, stacks of chips being slid to where he sat. He grinned and started playing the game, his expression matching the wild-eyed, glassy look of the rest almost immediately.

  S
he grinned, amused by how easily he’d infiltrated the group of card players.

  Certain he was fine where he was, Jiya continued walking, sweeping her eyes over the casino crowd as surreptitiously as she could. It wasn’t as if the Kurtherians were expecting her, but the less attention she drew to herself, the better. She didn’t want to stand out.

  As such, she stopped here and there and examined the game machines, pretending to play a game or two while listening to the conversations of those around her.

  It made for a long and boring search.

  “Again?” Geroux complained.

  Ka’nak, his face covered in the blood of his previous opponents, grinned like a feral cat. “Yes, again,” he answered. “This is too easy, girl. I’ve already won more money here than I’d ever have earned back on Lariest.”

  She put her hands on her hips. “But this isn’t why we’re here,” she reminded him.

  He shook his head. “But it is.” Ka’nak gestured toward the dugout where the warriors waited for their turns to fight again. “These men know nothing but fighting and talking. If there’s a Kurtherian here, they’ll know it, and then I’ll know it.”

  “And your getting to fight is just a bonus on top of your efforts at completing our mission, huh?”

  He grinned and booped her nose. “Exactly that.” His name was called and he chuckled, waving her off. “It’s my turn again. Go do some computer voodoo while I dispatch this next guy. Maybe you can find something useful.”

  Geroux harrumphed at his back as he ran off, returning to the mini-pit where the fighters were gathered. His opponent was probably half Ka’nak’s size, and the man looked terrified. She watched for a few seconds as the fight started. Ka’nak went after the other guy, and as soon as the blood started flying, she turned away and marched off.

  She hadn’t come to the planet to watch Ka’nak beat people unconscious…or worse. They had a mission to attend to, and if Ka’nak wasn’t going to take it seriously, she had to. She crouched over her device, turning slowly so it could scan the nearby area for anyone pulling energy from the Etheric dimension.