The Noble Petty, Complete Edition (Alutia Rising Series, Book 2)

by Craig Gerttula

  “Divergent space, as you know, is theoretical and may not actually exist, except, based on the mathematics required for the existence of the rational timeline, it must be present, though nobody knows its composition or what affect it has on objects who enter, since nothing lost in “slip” time has ever been recovered.

  “In closing, Bordin, if you continue to move at speeds close to, or above, the average speed of light, then it is possible when our malfunctioning GM field finally collapses, that we will be able to thoroughly investigate exactly what divergent space contains, for the rest of our lives,” everybody stayed silent as Tio’Vie’s lecture ended, letting the information sink in. Mus’Til couldn’t keep a smirk off his lips, having watched Bordin the entire time, who, while the ladies were distracted, slowed their velocity by 75%, well below the need for an active GM field, and altered course to allow the gas giant’s gravity to guide them towards their destination.

  “Now, you rogue! That explains it, so listen to Tio and slow us down!” Evilonia blustered, Mus’Til easily able to picture her smug smile under her tiny, button noise.

  “I still don’t get it, Evi, please rehash what Tio said, then maybe...” Bordin wasn’t about to let his game end so easily, continuing to goad Evilonia on.

  “Stop. Do not listen to him. He obliged my request almost immediately after I commenced my explanation. You must pay more attention to your surroundings, Evilonia,” Tio’Vie said in her normal, unemotional tone as she continued to study the engineering projections in the air around her.

  “Tio, tell me these things sooner…geeze…” Evilonia muttered as she stretched. “Do you have any ideas about what could be causing it?” she asked, seeming unusually interested in a subject she was normally allergic.

  “No. The only records of such phenomenon occurring were during the unification wars, when the governments utilized special forces that would manipulate time, allowing “phased” troops to hide onboard NSD equipped starships and attack from within. Though, like most other weapons utilized during the war, they’re use and research is now strictly forbidden by the NHA Founding Charter. The Programs would detect, and put a stop to, any noble who tried to bypass this restriction,” Tio’Vie explained.

  “Strange,” Evilonia whispered.

  “Very...first time I’ve ever heard Tio not knowing the answer to something,” Bordin joked.

  Mus’Til let slip a laugh. “Any changes to the plan?” he asked, quickly shifting the subject before Tio’Vie could snap back at Bordin

  “Maybe...I’ll let you know if I think of any,” Bordin responded mockingly.

  “Shall I call up the meaning of “plan” for you to review?” Tio’Vie interjected.

  “That would be most intriguing. But I would much prefer to hear your condescending lecture about the” true meaning”. You are always so very thorough,” Bordin responded, not as playfully as before.

  “If you haven’t realized by now, my time is much too important to play your petty games,” Tio’Vie snapped, quickly ending the conversation before it turned into another of Bordin’s mocking feasts.

  “A shame...” Bordin trailed off, staring out the ferry shuttles front viewscreen. Mus’Til followed his gaze.

  “What in the star god’s names is that?” Bordin whispered as he zoomed a section of the viewscreen in on an unknown starship that had just breached sensor range, slowly approaching the stations from the opposite side of Don’Alutia IV.

  “The ABF Sasha. I do not believe we will be arriving in time,” Tio’Vie explained.

  “Damn,” Bordin muttered, zooming in to provide a clear view of the ABF Sasha, its smooth, flowing curves, purplish-red hue, and cone shaped noise unlike any other starship he had ever before seen.

  “NHA Ferry Shuttle DBF Won’Ti 23, this is the ABF Sasha, please proceed to halt your approach towards the Rovial Fleet Construction and Retrofit Complex and prepare to be boarded. Failure to comply will result in immediate destruction.” The voice they had all feared echoed through the interior of the tiny shuttle.

  “I shall respond,” Tio’Vie stated.

  “No, let me handle this. We’ve already had a taste of how you two handle diplomacy,” Bordin replied, his tone no longer mocking.

  “Yes, you have, which is why you are alive and free. I shall respond. It is the most logical course of action,” Tio’Vie said as if she spoke to a child.

  “As you constantly remind me, but that was then, this is now,” Bordin seethed, anger seeping into his words.

  “Irrelevant. I am the one qualified to deal with this situation and I will deal with it in the most efficient manner possible,” Tio’Vie stated.

  “You damn...damn you...” Bordin gritted his teeth, his words trailing off.

  “ABF Sasha, this is the DBF Won’Ti 23, powering down and awaiting boarding. Please be advised, an unknown disturbance is interfering with our GM field. Recommend boarding shuttle approach from the trajectory being forwarded now,” Tio’Vie responded to the ABF Sasha.

  “Great...now they’ll think we are trying to set them up...just great...” Bordin muttered while positioning the shuttle to use the primary thrusters to hold their position steady against Don’Alutia IV’s tremendous gravitational field.

  “We will take it under advisement. Please forward your names and affiliations,” the ABF Sasha’s Communication Officer requested.

  “Forwarding now,” Tio’Vie responded instantly.

  Mus’Til felt his heart start to beat within his ears, knowing full well that they were wanted fugitives within the NHA. He doubted that just because their supposed “crimes” occurred within the Detolian Earldom, which existed within the Hulk’Zif Duchy, the stated enemy of Alutia based on the Grand Duke of Alutia’s latest proclamations, that they would be forgiven.

  “How much did you send?” Bordin asked as he leaned back in the pilot’s station, crossing his legs atop the semi-circular PDU situated before him as he stared at the ceiling, seeming resigned.

  “Just the facts,” Tio’Vie said.

  “The facts can get you killed,” Bordin sighed.

  “The facts are what are keeping you alive,” Tio’Vie explained.

  “As you have said many times before,” Bordin muttered, “At least let us know exactly what you sent so when we are separated and interrogated, our stories will be somewhat believable,” Bordin glanced at Mus’Til with a half-smirk, his anger having completely vanished.

  “The facts are always believable,” Tio’Vie continued.

  “By the star gods, woman...can you ever just answer my question?” Bordin slide his feet down and rotated in his seat, straddling it while staring back at Tio’Vie.

  “I always provide answers. You just do not understand how to properly ask a question,” Tio’Vie explained.

  “Tio, I’d like to know as well,” Evilonia stated, her voice dainty, having, to everyone surprise, taken Bordin’s side.

  “Me as well, just in case I’ve forgotten something important,” Mus’Til agreed, finding an opening to remind everyone of the faulty nature of his “altered” brain, which he despised discussing openly.

  “Of course. I had planned to,” Tio’Vie answered quickly.

  “Then just do that in the first place, geeze...” Bordin shook his head, missing, or ignoring, the piercing glares that were aimed in his direction from both Tio’Vie and Evilonia.

  “I provided our credentials as employees of Independent Bordin Exploration, previously headquartered on Planet Detolian, but displaced two years ago due to actions the ruling nobility deemed illegal. I explained these actions stemmed from the owner of Independent Bordin Exploration contracting with the then Special Researcher Tio’Vie, and her personal guard, Evilonia, from the Hwe’Lu Genetic Research and Science Academy, to allow them to accompany Bordin as part of his crew and conduct onsite research into rare phenomenon encountered during exploration missions.”

  “Why not just say take a permanent vacation? It would be much more accurat
e,” Bordin interrupted.

  “Since that would be a lie. Just because you have interpreted the meaning of our contract as such, does not mean that it is fact. The contract clearly states the reasons for my journey and your requirements in said contract,” Tio’Vie responded curtly.

  “Maybe where you’re from, Tio, but in space, contracts are interpreted by the highest level ruling noble, or in cases where no ruling nobles are present, highest level officer...namely me.” Bordin said confidently.

  “That is based on the Emperor’s Law Book, which I understand quite well. But it also states that the law book of the local galaxy can expand on said contract law. In this case, based on the Galaxy 189 Law Book, when both contractual parties are present in space and disagree with the interpretation of a mutual contract, a third-party that is not one of the two contractual parties will be required to resolve said disagreement. This party must be a ruling noble, administrator, officer, or a common mediator agreed upon by both parties.” Mus’Til could only guess how Tio knew of such exceptions, probably having memorized every law book in the universe. Bordin appeared to want to respond, but just rolled his eyes as he nodded for her to go on.

  “Now then, I further expanded on this initial information by stating that Administrator Nastor illegally denied my resignation to pursue this new course of study. In an attempt to keep me on station, I was imprisoned within a secure lab and kept under constant guard. When Bordin arrived, per our contract, Administrator Nastor took him and his crew into custody for reasons unknown.”

  “Unknown? You know that he wanted to silence us,” Bordin said with obvious shock.

  “No. That is just an assumption. If I was to make a logical deduction, is that in you Administrator Nastor found a ready source of new test subjects, since the vast majority of your crew were criminals,” Tio’Vie responded.

  “Smugglers, Tio...the vast majority of my crew were smugglers......and good men and women who didn’t deserve to die because of my stupidity,” Bordin said, voice like daggers, but didn’t seem to affect Tio’Vie in the slightest.

  “Make the distinction if you like; based on universal law, they are criminals. But I do agree with your sentiment about their deaths, and as I have declared many times in the past, I apologize for what befell because of our agreement.” Bordin didn’t look at Tio’Vie, seeming lost in his memories.

  “Well then,” Tio’Vie, seeing this as well, took this as an opportunity to continue, “I then explained that over the next month, Bordin’s crew was subjected to a full array of genetic modifications and the few who survived were no longer “true” humans. Bordin himself was kept separate, being of noble blood, and not subjected to the same tests. After 61 days, my personal guard, Evilonia, and a petty test subject name Mus’Til, were together able to break us free and we were able to escape, though many of our captures were killed during our flight. We then went into hiding, and after another 103 days we found transport out of the galaxy. But we were betrayed, and Bordin and Mus’Til were captured while Tio’Vei and Evilonia were able to escape.” Mus’Til glanced at Bordin, still seeming lost in thought. If he wasn’t, Mus’Til realized, he would have probably mentioned that the only reason they were able to escape was because they Tio and Evi left them behind.

  “Bordin and Mus’Til where then convicted for capital murder. Bordin stripped of his noble rank, and along with Mus’Til, sent to an industrial planet to work in the factories. After half a year, Tio’Vie and Evilonia were able to locate and free Bordin and Mus’Til, but in the process, destroyed two duct repminers and the entire garrison responsible for the oversight of the petty colony where they were being held, or 5,126 private guards.” Mus’Til recalled the chaos of that day, the horror brought by Tio’Vie and Evilonia who “diplomatically” saved them from the petty colony by hijacking a duct repminer, then sending it crashing through the atmosphere, into the planet’s garrison. He was extremely grateful, but he knew many innocents had also died that day to give him and Bordin their freedom.

  “We then fled on a stolen ferry shuttle and have been searching for a vessel to use to flee the galaxy. We then located the NHA Exploration Ship DBF Rea’Tol, Independent Bordin Exploration’s starship that had been stolen by Administrator Nastor, being refitted at the Rovial Fleet Construction and Retrofit Complex. We were planning to reclaim our stolen property when we heard that the station was abandoned during the liberation of Don’Alutia.” Tio’Vie seemed to consider for a moment, then nodded.

  Bordin sighed. “You realized you most likely signed our death warrant?” Bordin said, resigned.

  “I disagree. By analyzing the actions of the Grand Duchess and Duke of Alutia, I believe they will understand our plight and provide us access to our vessel. They will, however, require us to make certain concessions.”

  “Concessions?” Evilonia asked curiously.

  “Yes. They will require us to become vassals and renounced all past affiliation. This is the reason why I’ve allowed us to follow your “plan” in the first place. It was a prime opportunity to “stumble” upon the Grand Duchess and Grand Duke, who, as logic dictates, would likely stop at the Rovial Fleet Construction and Retrofit Complex before journeying back to Alutia’Earth.”

  “You tricked me?” Bordin accused.

  “No. I never agreed to your plan and I never told you mine. There was no trick involved,” Tio’Vie responded honestly. Bordin seemed about to explode, but froze as the shuttle shook.

  “It’s an assault shuttle. Don’t do anything stupid,” Bordin said as he swung about in his seat and looked at the pilot’s station, then the viewscreen, showing two assault shuttles orbiting their position while the third had locked a boarding tube onto the side of their shuttle.

  “Evi?” Mus’Til asked as he glanced over his shoulder, seeing Evilonia’s eyes glazed.

  “She will be fine. She will not attack unless I order.” Tio’Vie seemed unconcerned and Mus’Til could only sigh, knowing that the most dangerous person on this vessel was not Bordin, him, or Tio’Vie, but Evilonia, the ex-arcguard whose genetics had been illegally modified to the point that she could fight a combat armored guard on equal ground.

  The door slid open and two combat armored guards appeared, combat arcs trained in their direction.

  “Move and you die.” The words were followed by a hiss as the ferry shuttle filled with gas. The last thought that went through his mind as everything went dark was; not again.

  Part 2

  He awoke to silent darkness, only broken by the sounds of soft breaths emanating from his sides. They were odd, he having no idea who they may belong, his mind confused and the oppressive darkness masking any hint of who the owners may be. But he found that mattered little, he having no idea who “he” was or how “he” arrived at his current location.

  His breathing increased as he began to panic, flashes of unfamiliar images appearing within his mind one after the other, from times and places long past, of friends and family long dead, and of memories best left forgotten. Suddenly, the flashes ceased and he remembered, remembered his name, Mus’Til, remembered what had befallen, being captured by the ABF Battleguards, and remembered why his memory was broken.

  It had been an innocent procedure, or so he had been told, the result of a long line of research that should have permitted harmless modification to the human brain so as to allow for more efficient storage, recollection, and advanced calculations; basically turning his brain into pseudo matrix system. Except, interfacing these changes with the existing architecture of the human brain, required for the person receiving the modification to still be considered human and not an illegal organic AI powered mobile matrix system, was difficult.

  The initial problem arose when the interface attempted to seamlessly store and transfer data, encode, decode, then re-encode, between the sensory organs, matrix system, and cerebral cortex. The primary difficulty arose when the interface, after receiving a request from the cortex, began seeking the relevant “memory”
within the endless amount of storage space provided by a matrix system. Normally, this isn’t an issue, since a powerful I/O system, a type of “middleware”, is used to access data within a standard matrix system. It was theorized, however, that the brain would be powerful enough to replace the I/O, and able to reconfigure itself to handle indexing the near infinite storage space, similar to how it normally handles memories, by creating interlinked networks of neural pathways. Unfortunately, even the immense power of the human brain was not enough and his memories, once stored within the matrix, where all but lost.

  They had worked on him for years, attempting to integrate further improvements while holding onto his humanity, or so he had been told, his earliest memory being three years prior, the day when they had suspended the project

  Originally, they had planned on disposing of him. But in the end, decided to keep him alive in case they ever wanted to restart the research project. So to allow him to live a partially normal life, they restricted his minds access to the matrix system and utilize the remaining portion of his cortex in conjunction with the existing interface. This allowed him to retain memories, but created a problem where when he slept, and the memories where transferred from the interface to his cerebral cortex, many would be “corrupted” or lost, as if they had never existed. Then, when he awoke, it took time for the interface to again access the stored memories, meaning it took a few seconds for the required memories to be accessed and moved to the interface. It was a harrowing experience, not knowing anything when you first awoke, though it did always bring him fully awake in an instant.

  Tio’Vie, the genius researcher he had helped save, had spent many days during their flight adjusting the fine tuning the interface system, allowing him to retain close to 90% of his new memories. She found a way to make it so “junk” memories were the vast majority of the 10% lost. But even with her genius alterations, he still would lose much of the feelings that went along with the retained memories, the interface unable to properly represent them.