OMEGA Rescue

by Stephen Arseneault

  Joni and Garrett had largely disappeared from our presence, instead choosing to spend their time with each other and away from the portal ship. Raptor had been left for a visit with me. Jack and Go had been spending their time planning the construction of a new ship with Quan. Frig continued his efforts to unlock the gate to Earth and the colonel spent his time with the Talisan troops. They were needed for putting down a developing problem of pirates. The Alpha sector in particular was still awash with ion blasters.

  I had turned my efforts toward attempting to contact Getta. Comm connections were repeatedly denied. I began to wonder if I would ever see my family again.

  In an effort to keep tabs on our adversary, scans were conducted on a daily basis. The ship factory at the Modus world remained nothing more than a cloud of debris floating just about the planet. Immediately after our raids on that factory, we had done the same to the AI and bot factories on Doomlight. If the AIs had chosen to construct more of themselves, they were keeping any signs of it well hidden.

  I sat on the deck of our op-center on the ship we called the Quantix. Raptor lay on the deck beside me. As I stroked the loose fur on the back of his neck I ventured to wonder what all this looked like to him. We had risen up and fought for our freedom. We had risked our lives so that others might live under a government that treated all in a fair manner. With the return of the AMP, all who wanted to achieve more than a mere existence would have the opportunity to do so.

  As I looked into his satisfied eyes, I began to long for a good chest beating. I closed my eyes and began to imagine Getta's heavy fists battering me in slow motion. I let out a deep sigh. My moment of bliss was interrupted by an incoming comm. I eagerly answered with a smile.

  Getta said, "Knog, we have a problem. The AI are demanding our gate. This was never part of any agreement. We have a contingent of warriors guarding it, but I'm getting nervous that something is going to happen and that we won't be able to stop it. We no longer have any ships, having given them up for the gate. If they take that gate from us, we are completely isolated on this planet."

  I replied, "If they get that gate. They will once again be able to travel where they want, when they want. Let me contact the colonel, we can send Talisan ships to back you up."

  Getta shook her head. "I don't think that is possible. The Council is not seeking help. I am going behind their backs to talk with you right now. Should they find out, I could be removed from the Council altogether."

  I nodded. "Understood. I'll see what we can do from this end without involving you. We can't allow the AIs to take that gate. And if you wanted to know, we do plan to eradicate them from the Yallux galaxy as well. We are still weeks away from accomplishing that here. It seems every time we think we've captured and destroyed the last of them, a new pod of them shows up. They're like the cockroaches of space. You kill five and two more show up a day later."

  Getta smiled, leaning her forehead into her camera. "Be careful, Knog, the Council still despises you. Any interference in our affairs will be looked upon with disgust, even if evident to be in our best interest."

  I leaned my head into the camera as well. Raptor sat up, licking my hand.

  Chapter 20

  * * *

  Returning from his training stint with the Talisans at Dallex, the colonel unveiled his plan for the portal gate at Jorus. "Look, if the AIs decide they are going to take the gate, we take them out. I can put a thousand ships in orbit around that planet in a few seconds. I think we can handle whatever the AIs throw at us. Heck, we might even come back with more ships than we left with. The Yacabucci was highly effective against them last time out, and we should see similar results if we use it again."

  I nodded. "If things go bad, we also need to be prepared to just destroy the gate. The AIs will have to mount their attack using normal space travel. We should have plenty of warning of an impending assault. We can adjust our response accordingly."

  The colonel replied, "I agree. I'll head back to Dallex and form up a plan of action should the AIs make a move."

  A portal opened in front of the colonel, sweeping backwards and sending him back to Dallex.

  Harden Salton came over the general comm. "Mr. Beutcher, with efforts moving forward here at home, I thought it might be wise to redouble my efforts in Andromeda. We have achieved getting a vote on rejoining the AMP, and I would like to seal that vote in our favor, but you must give me more leeway and more access. The current set of restrictions are hindering our potential."

  I replied, "The restrictions stay, Mr. Salton. You have shown yourself to not be trustworthy in the past, and any normal level of trust is far from being recovered. Make use of what you have and give us the results we desire. I have faith in your ability to do so."

  Harden laughed. "You are starting to give speeches like a true politician, Mr. Beutcher. Praise the people as you tighten the reins of control. You have proven yourself as both a competent adversary and a fair overseer. I hope our relationship and interaction can continue to grow."

  Jack said, "Knog, I have a large AI fleet heading toward Jorus. I took the liberty to scan the travel lanes between the colonies out there. We have just over fifteen hundred ships heading for Jorus from the Kergan worlds. They should be arriving about three days from now."

  "Push the data to the holo-wall display," I said.

  Seconds later a bright image of a fleet in transit showed on the wall.

  Jack circled three sections of the ships. "We could do a preemptive strike. They are bunched closely enough that a sweep within any of those sections could catch as many as fifty ships. We might get in a few sweeps before they scatter."

  I said, "What do you propose we do with any that we catch?"

  Jack shrugged, "Dunno. We could try the Yacabucci and boarding parties, or just sweep them into a nearby star."

  I opened a comm to the colonel. "We have a situation brewing. We've located a fleet of about fifteen hundred AI ships. Jack thinks we might be able to sweep a hundred or so out to a new location, maybe into a nearby star, or perhaps we try to board and capture instead."

  Jack pushed another data feed to the holo-wall. "We have another set of ships approaching Jorus. These are coming from the direction of the Tamarin worlds. I count just over two thousand. Arrival estimates place them at the same time as the ships coming from the Kergan worlds. I'm changing up my portal scans to cover the same distance in all directions from Jorus. If there are two fleets, there could easily be more."

  I attempted to contact Getta, but was denied a connection. "The Grunta Council should know what's coming their way. Even if they dislike me, they should see this."

  Jack said, "We do have a course of action if you're willing to take it. We can sweep you right into the Council chamber."

  I replied, "They wouldn't listen. They would only attempt to arrest me."

  Go held up his hand. "I have an idea. Why don't we bring one of them here?"

  Jack smiled, "I like that idea. Sweep one of them here, show them what we're seeing and then send them home. Let them be the bringer of bad news."

  Joni and Garrett came into the op-center. Raptor raced over to greet them with his nub tail wiggling wildly.

  Joni said, "We were listening just outside. I agree with Go's idea. We can bring one of them here. They won't even have to get out of their chair."

  Jack referenced the screen. "They need to know and I can't think of a better way to make them see. Just say the word and I'll make it happen."

  Frig offered his opinion. "I believe this to be the wisest course of action. You might consider sweeping two of them at once. It would add to the legitimacy of the data you are trying to push."

  Jack laughed. "Why don't we just sweep the whole chamber here? Or at least that table they all sit around. You can meet them in the docking bay and give them the news. When you're done, we sweep the whole thing back. They would probably be too stunned to take any immediate action."

  After short time in thought
I gave a nod. "Jack, set this up, but don't execute until I've spoken to the colonel."

  Jack asked, "Are we talking a single member or the whole lot?"

  I replied, "Bring them all."

  A comm was opened. "Colonel, I plan on bringing the entire Grunta Council here to brief them on the latest data. I would like your opinion."

  The colonel frowned. "I can't see a better way to get this news to them. If we just send the data, they may ignore it considering the source. I can't believe they would ignore it if seen with their own eyes."

  I turned to Go. "Can you enable a holo-wall in the docking bay? I'd like this data to be visible when they arrive."

  Go nodded as he turned back to his console. "It will be there."

  I looked at Jack. "Are you ready?"

  Jack nodded. "We are. Last scan shows them all seated at the table."

  I stood. "I'll signal you once I reach the bay. Bring them through then."

  Go stood, joining Joni and Garrett as they followed me out of the room.

  As we entered the docking bay, I sent a signal to Jack. "Make it happen."

  Only a handful of seconds had passed before a portal opened up thirty meters from us. After closing, the bay was silent as the eleven members of the Grunta Council looked about in confusion.

  I stepped forward and was immediately met by an angry scowl by the council lead. "Beutcher! You will pay for this abduction!"

  I raised my hand. "You may voice your condemnation later. We have important news for Jorus."

  I pointed at the fleets displayed on the holo-wall. "You have thirty-five hundred AI ships converging on your location. We believe they are coming to take your gate."

  The lead pounded her fist on the table as the other members grumbled in disgust. "The AIs are coming here because we asked them to. Your meddling in our affairs is precisely why they have been summoned. We have no interest in rejoining your AMP alliance. We will be a free people and the other species in this galaxy will be free people as well. The AMP has no claim here. And as for this abduction, consider it an act of war! Return us to our home or you will forever be known as the mortal enemies of the Grunta people!"

  I signaled to Jack. A window opened behind the still scowling Grunta females, passing over the lead as she took her seat.

  When the portal had closed, Jack made a comment. "That didn't quite go as planned."

  Garrett frowned. "I don't know how we handle this one. Why would they invite the AI there to Jorus?"

  I sighed. "The AIs have convinced them that it is we who are the threat."

  Garrett said, "Well, we can't just let them give the gate away. We'd be right back where we started."

  I began to pace the deck of the docking bay. "Jack, perform a scan of that gate. I want us to have the option of sweeping it out of there. I don't want to have to fight for it."

  I walked back up to the op-center, plopping down in my chair.

  Joni stood behind me with her hand on my shoulder. "They'll come around. We just have to show them the way. The AI's have to be dealt with first. After that. The gate can be returned."

  I lowered my head. "Should have listened when you and Go wanted to plant a tag in the Council chamber. I wanted so badly to maintain a distinction between having their best interests at heart and being a spy. Had I chosen the later, perhaps we wouldn't be in this predicament. Grunta women do not forget. The annihilation of the Grotus show that."

  Joni shook her head. "Oh, come on. We can hardly be compared to the Grotus."

  I replied, "Can't we? We've been countering the moves of their allies, the AIs, for months now. We just kidnapped the entire Council. We seem to be going against their wishes at every turn. They are wrong; I have no doubt in my mind about that. That fact, however, does us no good if they disagree."

  Jack said, "I just picked up another fleet converging on their location. This one is more than four thousand ships all on its own. I have to believe they are calling in all the AI ships."

  The colonel opened a comm. "Beutcher, this might be an opportunity for us to catch them all at once. We took out their portal ships. If we can knock down their space travel altogether, our mission to end this fight will only require search-and-destroy teams on the ground. That's something we could do one planet at a time. We can test that out here in the AMP first. There are bound to be a few of those AI still hanging out here."

  I nodded. "Put together a plan for that in the background, Colonel. We need a strategy for dealing with this fleet."

  Garrett said, "I have a suggestion. Why don't we attempt to contact the Baldi? The AI are their sworn enemy. With the amount of space they have been protecting, they have to have an enormous fleet. And their ships seem to be more capable than ours when it comes to fighting the AI. I would volunteer as a diplomat."

  Joni added, "And I can go as his unseen escort to keep him safe."

  A portal opened and the colonel stepped through. "We should establish relations with the Baldi, even if only for the longer term. The species out in the Yallux will be bumping into them eventually. If the Baldi run into any of these species that consider the AIs as allies, it will mean immediate war. That won't go so well for your Gruntas."

  A comm came in from Harden Salton. "Mr. Beutcher, we have isolated what we believe to be the largest source of pro-separation propaganda. That's propaganda that is working against us in Andromeda. It is coming as feeds from the Grunta world of Jorus. We are having difficulty dealing with this situation as we don't have the proper tools. We can only run so many counter stories before they begin to lose their effectiveness. In other words, they only have a short life where they are valuable, after which they become a liability. Again, I appeal for you to give me the tools I need to do the best that I can."

  I looked at the colonel. "It may be time to take the gate from the Gruntas. If they haven't already declared war on us, they are certain to when we take it."

  The colonel nodded. "Agreed. The longer we leave it there, the bigger a liability it becomes. Besides, they don't own the gate, it belongs to the AMP."

  I glanced over at Go. "Head down to the docking bay in case there are any issues. Joni, you and Garrett should go with him."

  I turned my attention to Jack. "Set it up. Give the others a heads up when it's going to be coming."

  Jack nodded. "I'm all set now."

  I sat in thought for a moment. "Quan, we're sweeping you out of here. If this is a trick I don't want you on this ship if they follow us back here. Jack, send him to Dallex."

  Jack replied, "Initiating portal... and Quan is secure."

  I sighed as I leaned back in my chair. "Lock in on Jorus and make it happen."

  The colonel said, "They won't be chasing us. All portals are accounted for. That's the last one we don't have control over."

  Seconds later the portal gate from Jorus was sitting in the docking bay of the Quantix.

  A comm call came in from Getta, I answered. "Yes?"

  Getta said, "It was you then?"

  I slowly nodded. "The Council left us no choice. The AI would have taken it from you to create another portal ship."

  Getta took a deep breath. "The AI had no intention of taking the gate. I must go. I can say no more than for you to watch yourself. I don't have specifics, but others here seem giddy over the thought of you taking it."

  I stood from my chair as a gloved hand took hold of Getta's arm. At that moment, the comm connection closed.

  Jack asked as he looked over his display, "What'd she have to say?"

  I hesitated in thought before replying, "She... they just took her."

  Jack turned to face me. "Who took her?"

  I replied, "The Council. She risked giving me a warning that they were coming for us. She was taken by a hand wearing a battle-suit glove just before the connection was shut off. We have to get to her."

  Jack said, "Let me do a scan. I can bring her right here before they do anything."

  I slowly nodded.

&nb
sp; Go opened a comm. "Hey, this gate is still open to Andromeda. The control box looks like it's been sealed off. Why would they do that?"

  I looked through the comm feed at Go. "Get out of the bay and seal the doors behind you! Jack! We need to sweep that gate out of here!"

  Laser pulses flew from the portal gate as hundreds of AI bots emerged. Go and Garrett scrambled for the door as Joni blinked out, firing a low power tungsten round into the first dozen attackers to step into the bay. Robotic parts flew as the bots following spread out to avoid the same fate.

  Jack said, "I've lost control of the portal! I can't signal the generators!"

  Go replied as he ran. "They blew a hole in the floor! That's the control lines heading back. They knew right where to hit us!"

  I swiped at the console in front of me. "Joni, I'm powering up the kill switch signal."

  Joni replied, "I can take this gate out!"

  Jack yelled, "No! You do that and you take us with it!"

  Garrett yelled, "Signal's not working! We've lost the doorway! They're... they're pushing us up the hall toward the stairwell!"

  The colonel blinked out. "Garrett, you and Go fall back to the stairs! I'm coming down to you!"

  Joni said, "This bay is flooded with bots. There are too many coming through for me to stop. I have the comm inhibitor signal running, but it only knocks them down for about five meters out from me. They must have developed a countermeasure!"

  The colonel replied, "Get into that portal opening. You can at least shut off the flow. We'll take care of the rest!"

  Joni yelled back. "Got it... no more coming through. They're stacking up!"

  The colonel said as he powered away, "I'm heading to the stairs. At least we can keep them bottled up until we can kill them off."

  Jack stood with his blaster. "I'm not feeling good about our chances here."

  I asked, "Why?"

  Jack pushed a video stream to the holo-wall. "They're about to start shutting down generators. They don't need to be here or on the bridge to do that."

  Jack pounded on his controls. "I'm putting us down on Effica! I just hope we make it before they hit the last generator."