by Tobias Roote
He began to outline the current Terran situation.“We have been tracking an increase in traffic, out of system, for some time. It is sporadic, only occurring when our patrols are otherwise involved in planetary security. It also seems to be tipped off when we attempt a purge. We know they are getting inside help from people in our own HQ and we believe we are closing in on the individuals concerned.
In addition, there have been reports of thefts of new tech items that are cutting edge and very expensive”. The Captain nodded at RIGA. “Based on your report today, I believe they could be turning up somewhere in your Empirum, in which case the smugglers may well be Empirum ships,” he added.
RIGA responded. “Captain, this would be so, if we were seeing this new technology. However, that fact is we aren’t, which implies its going somewhere else.”
The Captain continued as if he hadn’t been interrupted. “The worst part of this, is that most of the thefts relate to weapons and disabling systems. Obviously that part is highly classified, but we want to get the equipment back, or at least remove it from use, as it represents a threat to our own national security,” he added.
Osachi looked genuinely worried. “One last item that needs to be mentioned,” he said nervously. “We are missing some vital components of a new weapon,” he admitted.
“What kind of weapon?” asked RIGA, immediately concerned.
“Osachi, don’t answer that,” the Captain said intervening with his hand up, halting Osachi from saying more. He turned to RIGA and patronisingly responded to her question “I don’t think we should tell you any more, it’s a matter of Terran security. “
Osachi interrupted, “...it’s a self-replicating killer nanite; a doomsday bomb. One that, once released wouldn’t stop consuming every artificial substance until it had eaten everything, using it to replicate itself until it couldn’t grow any more. Only organics would remain.”
The Captain fumed. “Osachi, you shouldn’t...” then realised the futility of berating Osachi at this point. His look told RIGA that there would be an angry exchange between them later.
Osachi was unrepentant. “Captain, you forget my family built the technology that is being stolen, and we want... need it stopped. We had already decided that RIGA’s people might be able to help us in that regard.” He looked winningly at RIGA, and she noticed the young man still looked young and impressionable. She realised he still held feelings for her, those same emotions that had assisted her on the original discovery of the Terran Empire. He had no idea of her history, but seemed enamoured and RIGA had no idea how to handle that. So she studiously ignored it. He didn’t seem to notice.
The Captain sighed and decided to continue the story. “The original killer nanites were invented a century ago by an Earth scientist called Osbourne. They were intended to generate new raw materials from recycling waste products, but they were successfully introduced into warfare against an enemy of Earth’s called the Nubl. Then, they would only consume specific types of metals and plastics, they had a timed lifespan which rendered them inert. An excellent safeguard.
Nanites that ate specific inorganic items were introduced to help in mining operations to recover rare elements. Then some bright spark forgot to put an END command on one of the program sets inserted into a batch and they ate half a mining complex along with part of the asteroid before the company realised what they had created.“ The Captain looked disparagingly at Osachi as he said that.
“How was it stopped?”RIGA asked.
Osachi took up the story again. “The asteroid was steered into the nearby sun, being the only sure-fire way of removing the threat to everyone. One ship that tried to escape was eaten out from under them as they tried to evacuate. Miners had their EVAC suits eaten, even as they were trying to leave the ship.”
RIGA analysed the added information with the full speed of her QDE, (Quantum Distribution Entanglement) processors. She didn’t like the conclusions, especially to her own people. This could be extremely serious for them. There was still missing data and she needed to track it down.
“I believe we have a serious problem,” she advised.
She turned to the Political Officer, “Do I take it you are here in an advisory capacity and answer directly to your government bypassing the military command structure?” she asked of the man who had so far remained perfectly quiet.
“Yes, Ma’am, that is entirely correct. I am here to maintain a link between the two bodies as directed by the Space Council,” he explained.
“So, who is really in command here, gentlemen?” RIGA asked.
“In military and security matters, I am,” the Captain said. “In matters that have political ramifications and without a decision from the SC as to prescribed action, the PO provides guidelines, or contacts the SC for immediate decisions. It may seem as though it could cause friction, but in fact it speeds decisions immensely, as usually it can bypass the Council members and go straight to the Security Committee,” he added.
“I’m not a permanent member of bridge staff, RIGA. I was placed on here to provide support to the Captain, should we come across activity that required official sanction,” the PO explained.
“Good! You will have need of both, and very soon,” RIGA informed them.
The Captain’s eyebrows shot up as he retorted. ”You believe this because...?” His hackles clearly raised by her comment.
Osachi interrupted again, this time to the Captain. “RIGA can percolate data, analyse it and reach conclusions at quantum entanglement speeds. Trust me on this, I have watched her.” Then turning to RIGA he asked “You just did that, didn’t you?”
“Yes, Osachi. I believe that, either one of your worlds, or one of mine is going to be seen to be attacked by the other, and probably very soon. It will be viewed as an act of war and will lead to an invasion of one, by the other, for no other purpose I can see, other than to gain the technology that your Empire has established,” RIGA announced.
The Captain and PO visibly paled at her statement. They looked at each other, alarmed at her conclusion, then quickly recovering, the PO laughed loudly. “But! - frankly, that is preposterous Miss RIGA,” temporarily forgetting she had no title in his obvious distress. “That’s such a far out conclusion from a small insignificant smuggling operation - it’s - totally ludicrous!” he exclaimed deriding her conclusions.
RIGA looked at them both and felt the underlying fear. Something was seriously not right here, she decided immediately to investigate this ship before she did anything else.
Osachi looked very disturbed, and deep in thought. The PO’s response obviously giving him similar concerns as RIGA. He looked across at her and shook his head almost imperceptibly. He didn’t want her to say any more. Fair enough, she thought.
Sometime later, RIGA and the Captain were alone. He had decided that the issue had devolved itself down to a purely military matter and intended to deal with it according to his own design. He had sent off the PO and Osachi to ostensibly agree a statement to be sent to the Space Council in response to the military and political meeting held with RIGA, as emissary to the Empirum. RIGA realised that meant nothing would be done.
As he approached her, his Comms unit bleeped. He turned back to answer it and for several moments he listened as still as a statue as someone spoke to him. It was guttural and distorted, RIGA recorded it anyway, perhaps Gossie’s systems could clean it up. Captain Jennings answered in a language that RIGA was unfamiliar with and a small argument ensued. When he replaced the phone his demeanour had changed. He didn’t look happy at all.
The Captain, now sat down in the comfortable chair opposite RIGA and quietly sipped his drink. She could see the man’s mental wheels turning and was beginning to realise he had some serious issues going on that were competing for attention. He was one moment rational, the next paranoid. RIGA was concerned for some reason she couldn’t yet fathom. Whilst these humans were of the same make-up as her own people there were large cultural and psychologic
al differences. These made her a little uncertain of how they should naturally behave, especially under duress.
“OK, young lady, I would like to know how you come to the conclusion that there is going to be a war when all we have to go on so far is a few piracy incidents both in your neck of the woods, and ours. And, yes, also some fairly serious breaches in security, and theft of a small quantity of SCN armaments. Only one of which represents a threat to any world, should it ever be used,” he said.
RIGA wasn’t flustered. Despite his obvious problem of dealing with her and not another military type, he was looking for information and she thought she understood why. So, instead of getting agitated, she relaxed and allowed the answers to come to her from the depths of her memory banks.
“Firstly, I have a confession to make to you, Captain. While I was linked into your comms network I accessed your ship’s sensor database and pulled all of the information pertaining to the ship incidents you mentioned. I have combined all of this information along with my data into a complete report which is now on your vidscreen. Please use it to further your case with your superiors. They will find the case quite compelling,” RIGA said.
The Captain stood up, towering over her, plainly angry; he pointed his finger while still holding the glass in his hand. He ignored the vidscreen she had pointed to. “You know I was warned about you by my superiors. I should lock you in the brig, but I feel that you aren’t capable of being a threat to me and my crew,” he said. “However, I would appreciate your keeping yourself out of our hardware, or I might have to change my stance and put you away until I can get confirmation from your government that you aren’t acting in your own capacity,” he said aggressively.
RIGA stood to confront him. She had observed the change in him, more evident now since the comms conversation. She didn’t like what she was seeing. Unfortunately, RIGA had never learned to back down, not understanding how this could disarm aggressive human behaviour she used her usual ‘matter of fact’ which for her was simply stating the obvious.
“I doubt you could hold me, Captain. If you tried you will find I’m capable of defending myself. However, for me to work effectively I need to delve deeper into the data on your planet. I meant it when I said I was empowered to investigate this by my government, with or without your assistance,” RIGA told the Captain, leaving him clear that to thwart her mission would not be in his interests. However, to the Captain, she had just issued him a challenge.
“Really? You are one person; a woman! Do you honestly think you can proceed with your mission alone and stop a potential war between our two empires? I sincerely doubt it,” he scoffed. “I would prefer it if we had a fair exchange of data, I would like to know as much of you, and your home worlds as you will obtain of ours if I return to Terra with you on-board,” he said.
RIGA understood. He wanted to see the Empirum for himself, and possibly on behalf of his government. That made sense. He probably wanted to be sure they were really going to be friends and not enemies.
“I would very much like for you to visit my home planet Epsilon Gamma. I am also very sure my employers would like to meet with you to discuss mutual arrangements for securing our borders. I am empowered to negotiate on their behalf and the Empirum at large. I have lists of interested trade partners, goods and services and I am also the official Ambassador between AI’s and humans for the Empirum so my decision on many matters will be automatically approved on my return.” RIGA filled him in on her official designation. It was a formality, they were both dancing around the issues.
“You seem very confident for a girl, RIGA. How is it the Empirum can send you out alone on a mission of such magnitude? Our world would send several ships of my size with a passenger liner full of delegates to your world to achieve the same result,” the Captain queried, still not believing that RIGA could possibly deliver on anything substantive.
“Your worlds are different, older and more complex. Our Empirum is very young having only been constituted one two and fifty years ago. We have a much quicker, less complicated means of decision processing. Our political leaders are motivated and still full of purpose. Unlike you, we do not have people in place purely to slow down the mechanism of decision-making.
A good example is your Political Officer. Do you not have the ability to make decisions in your planet’s interests, Captain? The Political Officer serves only to diffuse your abilities and suborn your power for himself and his political masters,” RIGA responded trying to draw him out so she could get a measure of the root of his aggression.
The Captain was seething, RIGA sensed he was unwilling to respond to her.
RIGA could sense his reluctance. It was typical of a military man in his position in his world. She had spent so much time studying human evolution. His world was still full of prejudice, bred on a backdrop of ‘might makes right’. He could not see a small 5’6” female having the physical presence to make the desired impact on his government, or its military. She sensed that it would be an uphill battle to make any headway despite his willingness to discuss things. It was actually no different to back home, really, she thought.
Still, RIGA pushed her advantage, not prepared to back up one inch in her self assertion of her capabilities. “Captain, let me be clear. If you do not give me access to your world within the next twelve hours, I will proceed anyway and conduct my own investigation, securing the answers that I need for the Empirum to take adequate steps to halt this escalating series of piracy incidents.” RIGA stood to leave.
The Captain smiled frostily. “Where is it you actually think you're going, RIGA? You are on my ship, your vessel is locked down in our dock, and I will not permit you to leave until I am satisfied that you are who you say you are, and not a threat to the security of my people.” The Captain stood and moved over to take RIGA’s arm. She tried to remain calm. He was just a human but, he was testing her patience to the limit. Did he realise that she could quite literally tear off his arm and hit him all the way to the next planet with it.
‘Gossie, are we ready?’ RIGA called silently to her AI who was listening while riding piggyback along the Captain’s personal network linked to his screen. The last call to the Captain had not disconnected properly, it had allowed an open a channel of communication that Gossie had been quick to utilise.
‘Yes, all is ready, the Tesperadus’ AI has been monitoring and agrees with your summation. However, I believe you are at risk if you stay there. The Captain seems keen to delay you for some reason.’
“Captain, before I leave can I ask you one question?” RIGA turned to him and held his arm, pushing it down and away from her with surprising force to which he took immediate exception, trying to reinstate it without effect. Her strength being many times his.
He smiled, falteringly as he felt the strength behind her diminutive frame. “Of course, RIGA,” he said, masking his annoyance.
“Why is it that all the time we have been here, you have made no attempt to apprehend the fleet of unidentified ships that even now sit on the edge of your Space Station’s perimeter?”
His face darkened into an angry scowl. “How would you know what my ships are doing while you are aboard.”
“Then you should be able to tell me the ships have been apprehended, destroyed, or at least chased off, Captain,” RIGA said, not smiling.
“A smart-ass! I think I will be a lot happier with you in the Brig. GUARD!” the Captain shouted.
A smartly dressed soldier marched in from the anteroom where the permanent guard was stationed, out of earshot, but in reach.
“Take this ‘person’ to the brig. Make sure she doesn’t communicate with anyone on the way. Keep her away from computer interfaces and hold her in isolation until I order otherwise,” the Captain dismissed them both.
RIGA smiled at the guard. The guard looked nonplussed. RIGA had no intention of killing anyone, but she would not let this Captain treat her like she counted for nothing. Her superiors would have the Captain sh
ot, and the ship blown out of normal space. RIGA, for once, intended to handle things differently. Perhaps it was because these people were Osachi’s that she held back her killing streak.
“How are you going to do this, Soldier?” RIGA asked him coolly, wondering indeed what this young human would do.
The Captain turned to see the embarrassed soldier wondering quite how to force the pretty young lady in front of him to be escorted to the Brig.
“MARINE, GET HER OUT OF HERE!” he bellowed.
As the soldier moved to grab hold of RIGA, she moved aside, offering no threat, but deftly putting herself beyond reach. He bugged out at her speed, making no further attempt to grab her. She could see he felt awkward and at odds with the command of his superior officer. RIGA decided to move past the impasse.
“Captain, before I take my leave... I think you should be aware that, despite my small size and the fact I’m a female, the Empirum I come from ensured that I would have all of the tools necessary to defend myself should the need arise.”
The Captain looked up from his desk with a look of angry confusion on his face. He was about to reprimand the Marine when he registered what she had said.
“What do you mean?”
The door to the bridge opened and the sound of alarms and klaxons blared into the room. His XO stood there with a look of concern on his face. “Sir, You’re needed on the bridge - NOW!”
9. Political Expediency
The Captain, on hearing the noise, realised something was seriously amiss. Torn between resolving the issue with his recalcitrant Marine and whatever was occurring on the bridge, he glared and pointed at RIGA. “Bring HER!” the Captain shouted at the Marine and walked off with his XO directly behind him.
RIGA smiled and walked ahead of the soldier, following the now bristling Captain onto the Tesperadus’ bridge.
The XO was explaining, “Sir, we have a fleet of five battleships standing to on our port side. They are offering no explanation as to why they are here. They keep asking to speak to Ambassador Rigel.”