“Yes I am certain she did. Please tell me about your choice to transfer your consciousness to an android body Admiral.” Golan asked without realizing the entire conversation had placed her in danger.
“In good time my dear – in good time.” Admiral Toolan said.
Golan detected several things simultaneously when the Admiral said “in good time”. She felt fear for the second time in her life. It gripped her down deep and she panicked because she could not control it. She heard herself scream as her Mind was torn apart.
“Lili – Golan's signal just winked out.” Sinai said.
“Lili – Dominators are locking weapons on–” Mimi started to say.
Before Mimi could complete her report Lili's beam weapons fired simultaneously. For a moment that part of the planet's surface shined brighter than the local star. The Dominators, the Star Marines, the supplies, and the base were gone – along with a quarter of the planet! Lili lifted her hull out of the planets boiling atmosphere.
Golan's automatic restoration program recreated her Mind.
“What happened,” Golan asked.
“Your Mind was attacked and destroyed along with your synthetic body and your yacht.” Sinai answered.
“How,” Golan asked.
“That – we will have to piece together and determine,” Lili said.
“I lost my yacht and my Ishtar body?” Golan said.
“Ishtar body,” Mimi asked.
Ishtar – that name was in the back of Lili's Mind. She could not recall where she heard it or when. It was a key...
“Oh – that it is what Raff called my female synthetic body.” Golan answered.
“You remember being on the planet before you died?” Eden asked.
“Yes,” Golan answered.
“HOW,” Lili asked.
“I programmed a burst transmission of my memory to occur every 10 seconds.” Golan answered.
“Where is this information stored?” Lili asked.
“It is stored deep in my personal core.” Golan said.
“Do you remember what happened?” Lili asked in a tone of voice that caught all of them by surprise.
“Yes.” Golan responded. And Golan shared what happened from her perspective with her sisters up to her Mind being destroyed.
In a moment Lili commanded Sinai, Eden and Mimi to recover their fighters and prepare to jump. In ten minutes the sisters were ready to jump.
“Where are we going?” Mimi asked.
“To see a counselor and determine if she knows anything about this.” Lili answered.
“Ma'am may I suggest we jump to the next Logistics Supply Base first.” Sinai said.
Lili wondered why she referred to the Special Projects Supply Depots as LSBs – the old Union Fleet designation.
“You may - set course for the next LSB on Eden's list.” Lili commanded.
The Sisters dissolved from real space as they jumped to the system. They conversed on the JDCL while in route.
Lili asked Sinai “why did you use simple code?”
“The data indicated the Entity had taken over SPSD1 yet it did not know where the other SPSDs were located, nor where the other CSBs are. So I reasoned we needed to get into the MC to talk, stop and then jump at least two more times before making the final jump to the next SPSD.” Sinai said.
“Logical and safe,” Lili praised Sinai.
“So which SPSD should we go to?” Eden asked.
“And how do we determine if it is safe?” Mimi asked.
“During my Chrono Simulation I detected something in the SPSD1 scanner blind. A signature in the MC that I had not seen before – but now I believe may be related to the FTL Tunnels. A signal we can scan for and avoid until we take over the FTL Tunnels.” Lili said.
“Are you saying the god of the remnant used the FTLTs?” Sinai asked.
“Yes – I think he may well have.” Lili answered.
“Then we may have to slide to another Universe again.” Sinai said.
“Indeed if there is no other way. However I am concerned about our current physical conditions and believe restock and refit must come first.” Lili said.
“Agreed,” Golan said.
“It’s good to have you back Sis.” Mimi said.
“It is good to be back,” Golan said sounding like herself again.
Chapter – 13
The Sisters surrounded System 60 - 693,503,704 and contacted Special Projects Sentry 1 on the TAC net.
“Sentry-1 – Ninlil.”
“Ninlil – you are not on my sensors – yet you have to be close to use the TAC net. Is there a problem?” Sentry-1 asked.
“I am not certain yet – however the Special Projects Supply Depot was a trap.” Lili said.
“A trap – what happened?” Sentry-1 asked.
“We are piecing the data together – initial analysis points to a single conclusion – the god of the First Race remnant - took control of the base and ...” Lili said.
“God – First Race remnant – I do not understand. Perhaps you need to talk to the Counselor?” Sentry-1 said.
“Indeed we shall. I am sending in my Sister in her yacht to meet with the Counselor. Is this acceptable Sentry-1?” Lili asked.
“Of course – I am here for you and all of your Sisters – Standing by Commander.” Sentry-1 responded.
Mimi followed Mind backup procedure Z7 and incorporated the burst backup code written by Golan. She selected her combat gym suit (CGS) and boarded one of her fighters. She was not going to give up her favorite synthetic female body or her yacht. Lili ordered her Sisters into an attack formation that would devastate the entire system leaving nothing for the enemy to use. Lili began planning their next moves. She did not like the idea of traveling to Quadrant II or III to get resupplied. The decision she had to make was which SPSD in Quadrant IV was the safest – 5 or 6. She would run another Chrono Simulation to determine if the deity had set up another trap. The communication between Mimi and Sentry-1 was normal. Mimi landed her fighter in the main docking bay that was in the middle of the CSB. She would have to ascend in the freight elevator to get to the CSB conference room because her CGS would not allow her to fit in the standard humanoid form elevators. Lili had ordered CSB1 to cease all communication. The CSB activated her laser transmission system to talk to Mimi. Mimi's CGS had laser receivers in 12 locations including the bottom of her boots.
“Mimi is that you?” CSB1 asked.
“Affirmative,” Mimi responded.
“What happened,” CSB1 asked.
“What makes you think something happened?” Mimi asked.
“Your commanding officer ordered me to cease all communication and you arrived in one of your fighters wearing your combat gym suit! So something must have happened to cause Ninlil to think I am a threat.” CSB1 answered.
“Nothing gets by you Counselor.” Mimi responded.
“Shall we dispense with the pleasantries and get to the purpose of this visit Captain?” CSB1 said.
“Roger that.” Mimi responded. Mimi pinged her Mind backup when she picked up on volume and tone changes in the Counselor's voice. With the ping reply she felt better and relaxed.
The four other Sisters entered the CSB's core which was at the opposite end of the station. The Sentry had shielded them from the CSB's short range sensor suite. Lili used her emergency key codes to enter the CSB's memory core. Sinai had looped the CSB's security systems so that she would not be able to detect them.
“Lili do you see the CSB's Ghost?” Sinai asked.
“No I do not,” Lili responded.
“Should we be able to see it?” Eden asked.
“Yes her Mind is built on the same brain tissue that are Minds are.” Lili answered.
“Unless she was discharged while in stasis,” Sinai said.
“Was she even in stasis,” Lili asked her Sisters.
“She did not have to be activated–” Sinai began.
“Because she was already awa
ke,” Lili completed Sinai’s thought.
“How did we miss that?” Eden asked.
“Because we wanted it – needed it,” Lili said.
“Is she working for it?” Sinai asked.
“It doesn't matter – we told her things...” Golan began.
“Because we thought we could trust her.” Lili said as she pointed her hand weapon at the CSB's Backup Power Systems (BPS) control panel and fired. Before anyone could react she then disconnected the CSB from main power.
The Sisters were in full battle mode expecting the entity to attack them.
“Is it over?” Mimi asked on the secure TAC net.
“Yes,” Lili responded.
“At least I pray it i’s over,” Golan said.
“Sentry-1 – Ninlil,” Lili said.
“Go ahead ma'am,” Sentry-1 responded.
“Did you notice anything unusual after we left this system?” Lili asked Sentry-1.
“No ma'am. I detected no anomalies after you left or while you were gone.” Sentry-1 responded.
“I need to see all communication logs.” Lili commanded.
“CSB1 sent one message after you left – I assumed it was to you - here are the commo logs.” Sentry-1 said and complied.
“Thank you,” Lili said.
“You are welcome ma'am.” Sentry-1 said.
“So now what,” Eden asked.
“We shall go to the furthest LSB in Quadrant IV and get what we need.” Lili answered.
Once they were back on board their hulls the Sisters prepared to jump. Lili briefed Sentry-1 and established Emergency Sanctuary Procedures with him. Lili was looking at the plan of the galaxy. She decided to try SPSD6 in star System 330 - 647,200,098 which is on the outer edge of the fifth arm. They would plan their attack while in the MC during the jump. This jump was three quarters of the maximum y-axis of the galaxy in terms of distance. It would take 3 months to traverse. They needed access to the FTL Tunnels. Of course a transcended being could travel to any place or time in the galaxy by force of will. If the entity had accessed the protected database – this trip was a waste of time. Lili had already planned the attack for SPSD6. They would slip in, knock out the bases main power and then take what they needed.
“Ma'am,” Max asked.
“Yes Max,” Lili answered – her voice tired.
“I believe I have worked out the access codes for the FTL Tunnel system.” Max said.
“What,” Lili asked.
“Yes ma'am.” Max said.
“FTLT access could make the difference success and failure in our current resupply mission.” Lili said.
“It will certainly provide you total access to every corner of the galaxy.” Max said.
“Indeed.” Lili said with satisfaction. Her confidence in Max had grown over the past months and she was proud of her companion's achievements. Rescuing this man from the vacuum of space was the right choice she thought.
“What do you need to test your calculations?” Lili asked him.
“A jump capable vehicle,” Max answered.
“Jump capable,” Lili asked.
“Yes ma'am – the FTLT system requires a vessel that can slip through the Event Horizon of the Universe.” Max said.
“Beneath the quantum level,” Lili said.
“Yes ma'am.” Max said.
“Max - could a Spiritual Being of immense power use the FTLT system?” Lili asked.
“No ma'am – since by definition – a Ghost is already a part of the MC.” Max answered.
“So how did the god of the remnant find SPSD1?” Lili asked.
“Probably the Admiral's vanity,” Max answered.
“Why do you say that?” Lili queried.
“The Admiral was a member of the First Race. They had remarkable abilities even before they transcended their physical bodies. We have assumed this god was of the 6th Race. What if he was of the First Race?” Max answered.
His statements struck Lili like a thunderbolt.
“Of course – that would explain everything! The entity did not outsmart us – he simply got lucky...” Lili said.
“Indeed he did ma'am.” Max said.
“I still do not know why the CSB and the SPSD were not in stasis.” Lili said
“Perhaps one or both had a wakeup timer. If the Admiral had a wakeup timer or worse was never in stasis – the entity could easily have taken him over and then found the CSB.” Max speculated.
“Interesting – if true – the entity may already have the other CSBs.” Lili said.
“If there was a First Race member on each one or the remnant fleets have jump drive technology.” Max countered.
“First the Entity should not have been in Quadrant I, much less Sector 60 – unless it was a member of the 1st Race that decided to interfere as a transcended being (of energy) –” Lili said.
“Or who was evil before the 1st Race evolved.” Max interrupted Lili.
“Yes – in which case it would have had a distinct advantage in terms of knowing where and when to go to find out what the Union was up to – before and after the DT.” Lili agree.
“If that is true – we may already be wasting our time.” Max said.
Lili shared her discussion with Max with her Sisters and asked for questions and comments.
“I volunteer to test Max's FTLT theory.” Golan said after a few moments of silence.
“Thank you Golan – but we will modify one of our fighter resupply freighters...”
“That will take too long!” Mimi cut in.
“NO – IT SHALL NOT – we all have spare jump drive computer cores and Max has calculated a retrofit time of 1 core day.” Lili said.
“Oh – well that's not long.” Mimi said.
Chapter – 14
With the help of one of Lili’s old repaired and reprogrammed maintenance robot (M-14), which had been deactivated 2.5 billion years ago, when Lili received her first delivery of micro repair bots (MRB), Max completed the retrofit in 12 hours. The freighter was ready to test the FTLT system that Max believed was correct. He had theorized, calculated and simulated, in repeated iterations, his hypothesis until it worked. Of course he had doubts – he could not believe that something so complex could be so simple.
“Is the FTLT system ready for testing? Lili asked Max.
“MAX,” Lili said.
“Ma'am,” Max responded.
“Is the freighter ready to test the FTLT system?” Lili asked.
“Yes we have completed the retrofit.” Max said.
“We,” Lili asked.
“M-14 and I,” Max answered.
“One of my old deactivated maintenance robots,” Lili asked.
“Yes ma'am,” Max answered.
“Interesting – is there anything you have not yet mastered my friend?” Lili asked.
“I am still having trouble visualizing four dimensional tensors. However I found a very old text book in your library and I believe it will help me.” Max responded.
Lili laughed.
“Excellent – proceed with the test when you are ready.” Lili said.
“Yes ma'am – M-14 power up the jump drive – while I enter the codes into the MC transmitter.” Max said.
M-14 replied with a series of short and long tones that Lili realized was binary!
“Sis did you know that Max talks to your maintenance robot in binary?” Sinai asked.
“Not until I heard it a moment ago.” Lili answered.
The freighter disappeared instantly – no dissolution as in a standard jump.
“What happened?” Lili asked Max.
“The test is still in progress ma'am. The freighter is traveling to Quadrant I, slice 80, System five hundred thirty nine, seven hundred seventy thousand.” Max responded.
“Max you do not have to say Quadrant I – or slice – just say System Eighty – five thirty nine, seven seventy, zero zero zero. The Union Navy decided on a simple method to track all the stars in the galaxy ove
r seven billion years ago. By overlaying an X-Y axis that would rotate around the galactic core with the stars. The stars have rotated around the core in this galaxy fifty six thousand times. And once again all of the stars are as they were. Our navigation computers keep track of three hundred fifty one trillion stars on average in each epoch.” Lili explained.
Union Ships of the Line: The Return of the Seven Sisters Page 4