Planet Bound

by R. A. Mejia

  “Please call me Aaron. My ship is gone, and it’s just the two of us.” I can hear a faint sigh before he continues. “As to how Yoe saved me, it’s simple. She had a homing beacon on her that the pirates were supposed to use to track her with if anything went wrong or if we changed course. When the hull breached and the two of us were sucked into space, she grabbed me and activated the beacon. A pirate scout ship picked us up floating around in space. At first, I thought it was a stroke of luck that we wouldn’t die, but then the pirates greeted her like she was an old friend, and I knew we’d been betrayed. Then one of the pirates threw me in a cell.”

  “But why’d she save you then?” I can only hear mumbling in return and ask, “Can you repeat that for me, please? I can’t hear you.”

  “I said, ‘She never meant for anyone to get hurt.’ Please, John, you have to understand. She just needed the money. Her father is sick, and the surgery he needs would cost a year’s salary. I knew about the military fabricator and she had contacts with some space pirates. Some old boyfriend or something. Anyways, the plan wasn’t supposed to get anyone hurt. The pirates were supposed to show up and take the fabricator and leave.”

  “Wait, the plan? You knew this was going to happen and you didn’t tell anyone?”

  There’s silence, then quietly he answers. “I love her John. Can’t you understand what that means? She needed my help and I gave it. No one was supposed to get hurt. But the captain refused to surrender and instead opened fire. Then it all went to hell.”

  “Then why did she save me then?”

  “That’s exactly what I mean, John. Even then, while we were under fire, she went back for you. She tried to save as many of the passengers and crew as possible. She didn’t want anyone to get hurt.”

  My mind whirls at the story. What would I have done if Annie came to me, asking for help? What lengths would I have gone through to help her? Then the images of the dead crewmen come to me. Scattered, burnt, and crushed in the wreckage of the crashed ship, and my heart hardens. No, I wouldn’t have betrayed the people that trusted me, and neither should they have.

  “What she wanted and what happened are two different things, Aaron. The fact is that you and she got all those people killed. You say the pirates weren’t supposed to attack, but you knew it was a possibility. So did she, otherwise she wouldn’t have had the tracking beacon. While I’m glad you both came back to save me, it doesn’t make what else happened okay.”

  The silence that follows is deep, and as I think over the events of the crash and wonder what going to happen next, a low clomping sound catches my attention.

  Aaron must recognize the sound, because he says, “Shh! I hear someone coming. We can’t let them know we can talk, or they’ll move us. Just act casual.”

  Silence descends as Crewman Joseph stops talking, and I move to sit on the bench in my cell. There’s the sound of someone punching a keypad a moment later, my cell door opens, and in walks none other than the great traitor herself, Crewman Yoe. I try not to stare at the woman dressed in black slacks and a grey shirt, but I feel my teeth grinding together as I look at her.

  “No need to scowl at me, Mr. Espinoza. You might actually consider thanking me. I saved your life, after all.”

  “What?!?”

  A ruggedly good-looking blonde man wearing grey body armor and armed with a laser pistol enters the room, and I freeze. I hadn’t realized I’d even risen from my seat till he came in and I saw the gun.

  The man casually points his pistol at me and motions with it for me to sit back down. I do so slowly, making sure he doesn’t have any excuse to shoot me. As I sit, he says, “What Susan here says is true, Johnny boy. She is the only reason you’re still breathing. All the other men wanted to kill you for murdering their pirate brothers, but Susan here convinced them that she could take you alive and that you’d be valuable.” The blonde man smirks. “She was right too. We got that fabricator off the planet and onto our ship, but for the life of us, we can’t get it to work.” He turns to me, a not-so-friendly look in his eye. “So, how about you tell us what you did to it, and we’ll keep you alive a few more minutes.”

  I cough, genuinely surprised by what I’ve been told. Then the cough turns into a chuckle, which changes into full-blown laughter. These guys can’t figure out how to use the stuff they stole, and expect me help them out somehow? Hah!

  I feel the cold metal of a gun pressed to my cheek and the laughter dies in my throat. The blonde guy murmurs between clenched teeth, “Don’t you go laughing at me, Johnny. You killed almost two dozen of my men with that explosion at your ship and then another half-dozen with those traps in the tunnels. The only reason I don’t squeeze the trigger on this gun is because Susan says you can fix whatever you did to the fabricator. We paid for that bit of tech in blood, and I intend to get the most out of it. Now, are you going to fix it, or am I going to put a new hole in your head?”

  I nod. I don’t know what I can do, but I’m willing to play along to stay alive. Thankfully, Yoe intercedes by laying a calming hand on the shoulder of the man with the gun and smiling up at him.

  “Captain Arnold, please don’t threaten John that way. He’s been through so much on that planet that he’s probably hoping we kill him. I mean, you saw the way he tried to protect that machine. He even planned on dying with that last fire trap.”

  I hadn’t planned on dying, but they don’t need to know that.

  Yoe continues, “Instead of the stick, let us use the carrot.” She turns to me, the smile still on her face but when I look into her eyes there’s a fierce pleading there and I remember Aaron’s words ‘she never wanted anyone to get hurt.’

  “John, I made sure to look you up before we rescued you. Weren’t you headed home to see your family before all of this happened? Don’t you want to return home to them? You know you still can. This little misunderstanding doesn’t have to be the end of you. Just tell us what you did; or, better yet, just fix it.”

  I nod stupidly. I know there’s nothing I can do to fix the darn fabricator if it’s broken, but if I tell them that, I’m dead. So, I nod instead, and they lead me out of the room and down the hall. The two are joined by another man with a gun, and they take me through several hallways and down into their own cargo hold where the shiny military fabricator awaits. It’s standing on its six crab-like legs as if waiting for the tide to come in. The lights on the console still have that same code flowing across it, but SAI is nowhere to be seen. My heart drops, knowing that the pirates likely just blasted her apart without ever considering that she was there.

  A prod in my back from a gun gets me moving, and I climb up the fabricator to the center console. It has a similar layout to the consoles on the Argonaut, but I didn’t know how to use those either. SAI always handled all the technical stuff. I had a hard-enough time just trying to stay alive. I glance back and see the patience wearing thin on the face of the pirate captain’s face. I turn back, knowing that these guys are going to kill me if I don’t do something soon.

  I reach out a tentative hand to the console display, hoping some kind of miracle happens, and quietly mutter, “Well, here goes nothing.”

  Chapter 16

  The moment my fingers touch the display screen, the flowing line of code stops and is instead replaced by the image of a young woman in her early 20s with short hair and a slim figure. She smiles, and subtitles appear below her as she speaks. “Welcome back, User John Espinoza. A scan of your biometric features has confirmed your authorization. How may I help you?”

  “Didn’t I tell you, Captain? That he must have done something to the system?” I turn to see Yoe gesturing at pirate Captain Arnold, who grabs her by the waist and holds her tight. She recoils slightly from his touch, but either he doesn’t notice that or just doesn’t care. Instead, he’s looking at me with narrowed eyes. I try to smile reassuringly, but I’m a roiling mess of emotions inside. I mean, what the heck just happened? I never registered any biometric features for the
system. I know SAI was trying to gain control . . . Wait, SAI? I suddenly turn back at the display and at the woman on the screen, who seems to be watching the people around her. She glances at me and winks. Could it be? Could SAI have actually transferred over to the fabricator? It makes sense, I guess. I mean, she transferred from the ship to the robot, so why couldn’t she upgrade to this machine? She must have somehow ousted the A.I. that was already there and taken over. But why is she giving these pirates access now? Did she only recently gain control? Or is there something else?

  The voice of the captain interrupts my thoughts. “Is something wrong, Johnny?”

  I turn back to the captain, and I feel my eye twitch. He’s been calling me Johnny since we first met, and it’s annoying. No one calls me Johnny except my mom. “My name is John, Captain Arnold. I’d appreciate it if you’d get my name right. But no, nothing is wrong. The machine is fixed, just like you asked. Will you release me now?”

  The captain gives me a crooked smile that looks more like a sneer than a genuine expression of happiness. “I call you Johnny because we’re such good friends, and I’ll continue to call you Johnny as long as I feel like it.” He glances past me at the fabricator, and a gleam of greed enters his eyes. “That piece of machinery is worth more than you can imagine. You’ll have to prove to me that it’s functioning like it is supposed to before I consider letting you go. Have it make me something that I couldn’t get on my own.”

  I consider taking a swing at the smarmy-looking captain and wiping that grin off his face, but the gun at his waist and the guards in the room would likely make the act of defiance my last. Instead, I turn back to the fabricator and hope that my guess that SAI is in control of it is not off. “Computer, can you make me something?”

  The woman on the screen nods her head. “Yes, Mr. Espinoza, I can. All elemental capacities are currently full, and a system check shows that the fabricator is ready. What would you like for me to make?”

  I have no idea what to have her make. I mean, I can think of several space suits I’d wanted to have made, but nothing that the pirate captain couldn’t get other places. I glance back at my captors and see looks of expectation. Yoe makes a gesture that tells me to ‘please do what he says.’

  The now very familiar voice of the woman on the screen asks, “Would you like some suggested projects, Mr. Espinoza?”

  Returning my attention to the fabricator, I smile. Yeah, this is SAI alright. She always knew when I was stuck and would offer me some choices. “Yes. I’d greatly appreciate some suggestions.”

  The figure on the screen bows, and I can almost swear that I see a satisfied smirk on her face. As she straightens back up, she raises her right arm and gestures to a list that appears on the screen. “These are a list of the more popular military products that are produced by my fabricator model.”

  Robotics

  Worker Class

  Repair Class

  Scout Class

  Soldier Class

  Hand Held Weapons

  Pistols

  Rifles

  Heavy Weapons

  Explosives

  Mechs - Some assembly required

  Light Mechs

  Medium Mechs

  Heavy Mechs

  Ultra-Heavy Mechs

  Ships - Some assembly required

  Scout Class

  Fighter Class

  Frigate Class

  “Look at all the shiny new toys, Johnny.” The voice is so close that is startles me, and I turn my head to see that the Captain is standing right next to me, staring at the list of options. The captain commands, “Computer, make me a Light Mech.”

  The woman on the screen, whom I’m now certain is SAI, crosses her arms, and a frown appears on her face. “Unauthorized User. Please submit credentials proving authorization or connect this unit with a communications system capable of verifying your authorization.”

  The statement makes the captain frown, and he pokes me in the ribs before ordering, “Johnny, have her make me a Light Mech. I’ve always wanted to pilot one of those.”

  I roll my eyes at the childish request, but ask SAI, “Can you please make a Light Mech?”

  Her arms uncross and the frown disappears. “Of course, Mr. Espinoza. It will take approximately 72 hours to make the major parts, and you will need to assemble them yourself or fabricate a team of Worker Class robots to assemble them into the final product. Would you like me to start fabrication now?”

  I glance to my left and see the disappointed look on the captain’s face. I don’t think he read the part about some assembly required for the mech selection. “Would you like for her to start, Captain?”

  He shakes his head. “No. Just have it make something small, like one of those military guns.” I convey the request to SAI, and she brings up a list of options from the pistol section. I choose one at random, something called the Rulegiver JK II. SAI nods once and pulls up a schematic of the weapon before stating, “The Rulegiver features both semi- and fully-automatic fire, manual and automatic focusing and targeting, plus a built-in computer capable of controlling its operation. It fires a range of specialty ammunition. An in-line gun sight shows the view directly down the barrel. A Rulegiver can only be operated by its designated user, who must be registered. Would you like me to modify the schematics before fabrication?”

  I turn to the captain and see that excited gleam in his eyes. “I’ve always wanted one of those. But if an unregistered user tries to take one, it explodes.” Realizing he’s practically drooling, the captain straightens his uniform and nods. “No modifications, Johnny. Just make it.” I confirm with SAI that no modifications are requested, and she nods once.

  A red box appears on the display screen with flashing words, ‘fabrication in process’, and the entire machine comes to life. Lights turn on under the fabrication platform, and the railing around it starts to expand into a cylinder that’s taller than I am. The storage units behind us start to pump the needed elemental units through the system, and the display screen shows an image of the gun being made in real time. Layer after layer of microscopic material is created, and after a minute, you can start to see the shape of the weapon and its internal components. It’s utterly fascinating to watch the weapon being made, and after only four more minutes the red words on the display screen change to ‘fabrication complete.’ The entire process is finished. The cylinder around the platform withdrawals, and there, sitting on the floor of the fabricator, is a heavy-looking metal handgun. It has a display on the side with a readout for ammunition type and several buttons along the other. The grip has small, delicate hashing and a scope fitted to the top of the barrel. The captain pushes his way past me and reverently picks up the weapon.

  As he picks it up, a voice speaks from gun. “New User detected. Would you like to register as the primary user of the Rulegiver JK II?” The pirate captain’s eyes light up like a child on Christmas Day, and he follows the directions given by the gun and is registered as the only authorized user of the weapon. The gun lights up when he grasps the grip. He swings the weapon across the room, and everyone ducks out of its line of sight, afraid of it going off. The captain loves the reaction and laughs.

  He turns to me and says, “I once saw a man cut in half by a single shot from one of these. It’s a life sentence on some worlds to even possess this weapon if you’re not a soldier of the Federation.” He looks at the side of the weapon says ‘Stunner Ammo’ and the gun makes a whirring sound as the line of color along its side turns light blue. The captain turns and fires at one of the guards without hesitation, and a projectile exits from the gun with a loud pop. The guard starts spasming the instant it hits him. He falls the ground incapacitated, and Captain Arnold dances excitedly.

  “Perfect. Absolutely perfect. Johnny, my boy, you’ve fulfilled your part of the bargain. We’ll plot a course to inhabited space and drop you off somewhere you can get a ride back to civilization.”

  The statement momentarily rai
ses hope in my heart. At least, until I look at Susan Yoe, whose sad expression tells me my chances of this offer being kept. Still, I decide to play along. After all, I’ll likely be killed if I don’t. I smile at the captain and hold out my hand. “Thank you, Captain Arnold. You are a man of your word. Do you know where you’ll drop me off?”

  The question seems to catch him off guard, and his expression falters. He likely never thought to have to explain the details of a promise that he never intended to keep. But the smile returns as he answers, “No, Johnny. I’ll have to speak to our navigator and figure out the best place. It might take a while, so in the meantime, I’ll have Susan here return you to your cell. She’ll bring you some food and drink later.” He turns and slaps Susan's butt, then asks. “Won’t you, baby?”

  She nods quickly. “Yes, Captain. I’ll be sure to have the cook prepare something special for our friend. We can’t have him leaving us on an empty stomach.”

  I follow Joseph back to my cell and glance at the door next to mine where crewman Joseph is still being held. After entering the cell, Yoe promises to be back shortly with something to eat and drink but closes and locks the door as she leaves. I’m left pacing the room, wondering why SAI even allowed anyone access to the fabricator and when the pirates will come back to get rid of me.