Recollection: Age of Expansion - A Kurtherian Gambit Series (The Ghost Squadron Book 6)

by Sarah Noffke

  “Chester is most likely correct,” Ricky Bobby chimed overhead.

  The scowl on Marilla’s face deepened. “What? Ricky Bobby, how can you say that?”

  “In my research, I’ve found that systems that are left alone gradually devolve into disorder,” Ricky Bobby stated matter-of-factly. “Nothing in this universe is certain except entropy.”

  “Nice word,” Chester said with a big smile. Entropy was exactly how he defined life. Everything was constantly moving toward a disarranged state.

  “Are you saying that the only certainty in life is that there isn’t any?” Marilla asked, a new ache in her voice.

  “I’m saying,” Ricky Bobby began, “that all systems break down, and we’re constantly combating entropy. The only certainty in life is that we’re in a constant state of change. From my research, I’ve deduced that the purpose in life is to try and do everything we can to combat this eventual degradation through acts of survival.”

  Chester clapped once and held his arms out wide. “Which perfectly explains how the Sims video game mirrors our own life, and therefore has value.”

  “You’ve spent over thirty-six hours playing that game in the last few months,” Ricky Bobby said. “I can only deduce that it is a drain on your productivity and possibly on your creativity.”

  Chester’s mouth popped open. “I would implore you, good sir, to mind your own damn business.”

  He’d expected that this jab would bring a smile to Marilla’s face, but she didn’t even look close to grinning. Her eyes were brimming with tears as she chewed on her lip.

  “Hey, Mar,” Chester said, softening. “It’s all theory. Life is what you make it.”

  She nodded, but didn’t look entirely convinced.

  “Life is more complicated than that, but currently there’s something else more pressing,” Ricky Bobby stated.

  “What’s that?” Chester asked.

  “I believe it will be brought to your attention in a moment,” Ricky Bobby replied.

  Chester and Marilla shared a bemused expression. “The big guy in the sky loves mystery. He can’t simply tell us what’s going on; I, of course, am referring to Ricky Bobby, if you were confused.”

  Marilla sniffed, a fragile expression lingering in her eyes.

  Chester was about to say something comforting—that was obviously bullshit, by his standards—like ‘everything is going to be alright’, when he was interrupted by a banging noise. As Harley barked wildly, Chester looked up, as he usually did when waxing with Ricky Bobby. “I’m guessing that’s the interruption you were alluding to.”

  “You are correct,” Ricky Bobby replied.

  With a sideways look at Marilla, Chester took off for the far wall. A loud bang reverberated from behind the wall before it popped out completely. Liesel stumbled out, falling on the metal panel as it crumpled to the deck.

  “Are you alright?” Marilla asked, stooping down to help Liesel up.

  Chester peered into the cramped vent space from where Liesel had emerged. It was a dark mess of wires and tubes, and two beady eyes stared at him from up high. Chester shrank back, directing his attention at Liesel.

  She had grease smeared on both of her cheeks, and her hair was matted to her head.

  “What were you doing in there?” he asked her.

  Letting out a breath, Liesel smiled. “I was rewiring the Intelligence Center. I think it’s up to your specs now.”

  Chester peered back into the chasm. “You already finished the rewiring job? By yourself?”

  Liesel laughed. “Don’t be silly. I had help.” She clicked her tongue twice, and the beady-eyed animal scurried down a series of tubes until it was on the ground, the ferret that was usually on Liesel’s shoulder.

  “Sebastian helped you with the wiring?” Marilla asked in awe.

  “Of course,” Liesel said with another laugh. “You don’t think I could have fit into those tiny places and have done all the work myself do you? That’s mad.”

  Chester popped his head into the inside of the ship for a third time. “Yeah, Mar, completely mad. What were you thinking? Obviously Liesel had a ferret helping her.” He pointed to Harley, who was eyeing Sebastian hungrily. “I’m thinking of teaching Harley here code so that I can be that much more productive.”

  “Cutting back on your video game time is probably the most viable option to increase productivity,” Ricky Bobby cut in.

  “Thanks, Rick Bob, but again, your observations aren’t welcome here,” Chester stated, winking at Marilla.

  Liesel brushed off her pants. “I couldn’t help overhearing your conversation regarding the universe and, well, the purpose of life.”

  “Because you were inside the walls of the ship?” Chester asked playfully.

  “I promise I don’t eavesdrop regularly,” Liesel said with an apologetic smile. “Next time, I’ll tell you all when I’m working on your area.”

  “Or better yet, have the mongoose tell us,” Chester said.

  Liesel turned to Marilla offering her a sensitive look. “Although I think that Ricky Bobby and Chester make some valid points, they don’t entirely line up with my thinking on the matter.”

  “It’s hard to argue with an AI,” Marilla said, her tone dry.

  “That’s true, but even Ricky Bobby is not a supreme source of knowledge,” Liesel stated. “For what it’s worth, my own inner journey to discover the outer world has taught me something entirely different than the points they were trying to make.”

  “What’s that?” Marilla asked, hope springing to her eyes. Chester liked that expression on her; it was the one she wore most days when talking of her work. Marilla was usually full of wonder and reverence for the world, rather than discouraged by it like she was now.

  “It’s true that we are constantly moving in the direction of death,” Liesel began. “I can’t argue with that. All stars must burn out; it’s inevitable. But they burn for a reason. The fact that they are progressing toward an end shouldn’t undermine that they exist in the first place. Isn’t it the finite aspect of life that gives it purpose? In a way, I think our constant progression toward death is an attempt by the universe to conspire for our own good.”

  “I’m not sure that Zen business makes any sense,” Chester argued.

  “It’s all about perspective,” Liesel said with a smile that reached up to her blue eyes. “You think there’s no purpose. That there’s nothing out there. That life is an eventual path to destruction, right?”

  “Through the walls of the ship and huddled around parts and wires, you can hear perfectly fine, I see,” Chester said.

  “I simply believe that even if we are headed toward nothing, that the path is still meaningful.” Liesel shifted her gaze to Marilla. “That’s what worried you before, right? That we’re here for no reason and going nowhere?”

  Marilla nodded. “It’s a cold possibility. I’ve studied hundreds of races. How can it be that there’s no meaning to it all?”

  “Because maybe we’re not as important as we like to think we are,” Chester argued. “We could be a speck on the tip of a pencil, for all we know.”

  “You and Ricky Bobby believe that there’s no certainty in life, and that our only purpose is to preserve ourselves as long as possible, correct?” Liesel asked.

  “I liked the way Ricky Bobby put it better, but yes,” Chester said.

  “And you, Liesel, believe something different?” Marilla asked.

  “She has faith,” Chester interjected. “You believe there’s a bigger purpose, a cosmos connecting us all.”

  “I might,” Liesel said brandishing one of her pirate smiles.

  “Well, sweetheart, there’s nothing to prove that you’re right,” Chester said.

  “And the same goes for you,” Liesel fired back. “There’s no way to prove the absence of something. But I can prove that we have a bit more control than you think.”

  “How’s that?” Chester challenged.

  “Well,
even if we’re headed for death, our path is inside our control,” Liesel said.

  Chester pushed his glasses up on his nose. “I’ll argue that you’re wrong.”

  “Because everything is random, in your opinion?” Liesel asked.

  “I pretty much rule the Dark Web, so I’ll argue that my opinion holds a bit more weight than others,” Chester said with a laugh.

  “I have a method that will prove to you that there’s a symmetry to life. There’s a synchronization that connects us all and proves that there’s meaning to our lives,” Liesel said.

  “Prove away, then.” Chester pushed his arms out wide, exaggerating the movement for effect.

  His overstated movement knocked a can of pens to the ground, and the sudden commotion spooked Sebastian, and the ferret streaked out of the path of the falling objects and through Liesel’s legs, sprinting for the exit. Harley whipped around and ran after the ferret, barking.

  “Sebastian!” Liesel called, running out of the Intelligence Center and after the racing animals.

  CHAPTER NINE

  Jack Renfro’s Office, Ricky Bobby, Behemoth System

  Toweling off after a ten-mile run, Jack checked himself out in the mirror. His parents told him that obesity ran in their family and may be unavoidable. He’d politely told them that was a self-fulfilling prophecy. At thirty-six, he was in the best shape of his life.

  “You are one handsome fellow,” he said to his reflection.

  “I like to call you a sexy motherfucker,” Eddie said from the open door.

  Jack laughed, waving Eddie and Julianna into the office. “You caught me doing my mirror talk. ArchAngel used to make fun of me when I did it.”

  “What does Ricky Bobby say?” Julianna asked.

  “I think that it’s perfectly normal, and a positive way to maintain a healthy self-image,” Ricky Bobby stated.

  “So that shows how much ArchAngel knew,” Jack said, fanning his sweaty shirt. He couldn’t admit that he missed the old ship or its AI. In truth, he didn’t think that he missed her. He was more aware now of the space she had filled in his life. ArchAngel nagged him constantly and teased him about his odd behaviors. That wasn’t companionship, but he might have mistaken it for that.

  “You’ll have to excuse my appearance,” Jack said, wiping sweat off his forehead. “I just got a lead I’ve been tracking, and needed to relay the information to you two straight away.”

  “Are you sending us after more Otter assassins?” Eddie asked with a laugh.

  “Or to a planet where we’re ambushed by porcupine catapults?” Julianna asked with mock seriousness.

  Eddie gave her a look of awe. “Good one, Jules.”

  “I stole it from Pip,” she admitted.

  “Damn, that AI is sharp,” Eddie observed.

  “He’s something,” Julianna stated, a heavy look on her face.

  “No, this mission doesn’t include any hostile animals, that I know of,” Jack said with a chuckle. “Good job, by the way. The general told me to pass along his sincere gratitude for taking out those assassins. He wanted to tell you himself—credit you all for erasing the threat—but as you know, this is not a glory squadron.”

  Eddie nodded. “We do it for the sheer thrill of knocking out bad guys.”

  “I know you do.” Jack screwed the lid off a water bottle and downed a quarter of it, wiping the back of his hand across his mouth. “The job I have for you should be fairly straightforward. I’ve been successful at locating a psychiatrist on Onyx Station.”

  Eddie turned to Julianna, his smile dropping. “Oh no. We’re having a mental intervention. I guess it is overdue.”

  Jack should have seen that joke coming. He shook his head. “Not for you two. Dr. Bennett Harrison specializes in hypnosis and is the very best.”

  “For Knox?” Julianna asked.

  “Precisely.” Jack downed the rest of the water. “The memories around the Tangle Thief are locked away in his subconscious. I’m confident that this psychiatrist can get them out.”

  “Great!” Eddie said excitedly. “We take the kid to the doctor, and then we can patronize a few bars on Onyx Station.”

  “Actually, I suspect that it’s not going to be as easy as you think. There’s still a minor complication,” Jack said.

  Eddie let out an impatient sigh. “Right. Of course, there’s some sort of snag to this. What’s wrong with this doctor? Is he an angry cyborg? Protected by thuggish Trid?”

  Jack threw the empty water bottle across the room, where it bounced off the trash can and landed on the floor. “No, nothing like that. As far as I know, Dr. Harrison isn’t dangerous at all.”

  “Well, the suspense is absolutely killing me. Do tell,” Eddie said.

  “Oh, is that right?” Julianna asked Eddie before glancing at Jack. “In that case, take…your…time.” She drew out the last few words, breaking them into multiple syllables.

  Eddie busted out with a laugh. “Damn, Fregin is on a comedic roll today. Is that one of Pip’s jokes too?”

  Julianna scoffed. “I’ve got my own material.”

  Jack couldn’t help laughing at the partners. They’d come a long way since they first started working together.

  Stifling a grin, Julianna said, “So what’s up with this psychiatrist?”

  “He thinks he’s a bird.” Jack lowered his gaze, pinching his nose and awaiting the response.

  “You can never just send us to a normal person for a normal job?” Eddie asked, his tone amused.

  “You’d get bored so fast, and you know it,” Jack replied.

  “True,” Eddie chirped.

  “A bird? This psychiatrist, who is the best in hypnosis in the galaxy, thinks he’s a bird?” Julianna asked.

  “Well, it depends on the day, actually.” Jack strode over to his desk, retrieving the file on Dr. Harrison. “The doctor has an unclassified mental disorder. Strangely, he’s been under evaluation for years, and they can’t determine what exactly is wrong with him. He displays symptoms for schizophrenia, dementia, OCD, bipolarity, and a half dozen others. It’s been quite perplexing to the staff of doctors who oversee his care.”

  “Isn’t there someone else you can send us to?” Julianna asked.

  Jack handed her the file. “I’m afraid not. Dr. Harrison is not only the best, but he’s also the best choice for this particular job. As a patient of the mental ward on Onyx Station, he won’t be sharing this sensitive information with anyone; which is perfect, since we need the information surrounding the Tangle Thief to remain quiet. If anyone finds out that the device is floating around out there, we’ll have more than the Saverus interested in finding it.”

  “I thought doctor-client privilege was a thing,” Eddie stated.

  “I think we all know that those rules can be broken,” Jack said. “I don’t trust this information with any ordinary psychiatrist.”

  “So you’re sending us to a crazy one,” Eddie said with a laugh.

  ~~~

  Julianna was about to ask another question about this Dr. Harrison, when loud barking distracted her. The sound of racing feet echoed from the hallway. Julianna turned in time to catch Sebastian speeding by, quickly followed by Harley. The ferret made a hard turn, scurrying into the office.

  Julianna jumped back as the two animals sped past the group. Sebastian climbed up the floor lamp in the corner, jumped onto a painting, and traversed to the top of the frame. From there, he squeezed through the slats of a vent and disappeared. Harley barked once more before turning tail and running out of the room.

  Liesel halted in the doorway, looking around. “Sebastian? Have you seen him?”

  Julianna pointed to the vent. “He went in there.”

  Liesel leaned over, hands on her knees as she heaved on ragged breaths. “Oh good. He got away from Harley.”

  “Well, to be fair, Harley still looks to be on the hunt,” Eddie said.

  Liesel waved him off. “If Sebastian is in the vent system, he’ll m
ake a straight shot for my personal quarters.”

  “That’s one smart ferret,” Eddie stated.

  “Let’s see if he’s smart enough to fix some of the holes in the ventilation system while he’s in there,” Liesel said with a laugh, straightening up.

  “I didn’t see him with his toolbox when he ran by, so probably not,” Julianna joked. She was in a more humorous mood today for some reason. It must have been the near-death experience with the mind-fucking cyborg. Not quite biting the bullet always put her in a good mood.

  Liesel strode farther into the office and picked up the empty water bottle that Jack had thrown. “Plastic water bottles really aren’t good for the universe.”

  Jack reached out and took the bottle from Liesel with an apologetic smile. “I realize that. I was in a hurry and grabbed one.”

  “I get it,” Liesel said with a wink. “Sorry, I can be a real nag sometimes.”

  “No, no.” Jack crunched up the water bottle and deposited it in the trashcan. “And sorry about my appearance. I just finished a run.”

  “What’s with the apology, Jack?” Eddie asked. “You pretty much told us to deal with your sweaty clothes.”

  Jack’s eyes darted in Eddie’s direction, and Julianna could have sworn there was a punishing look in his gaze.

  “Running is good, but can be damaging on the knees,” Liesel said.

  “Yeah, my knees definitely feel the impact,” Jack agreed.

  “Have you tried yoga?” Liesel asked.

  Eddie elbowed Julianna in the side. “Can you see Jack chanting and doing downward dog?”

  Will you tell the captain that he’s messing up Jack’s game?

  Game? What do you mean?

  Oh my. You’re thick.

  I guess so.

  “Teach, Pip says to shut up,” Julianna said from the corner of her mouth.

  Jack and Liesel were now engaged in a deep conversation about the benefits of yoga, not paying them the least bit of attention.

  “Tell him that I said ‘why don’t you make me’,” Eddie quipped.

  If you do get control over Eddie’s body, then that has to be an option. You have to be able to make him shut up on my command.