by C H Gideon
Xonera started. “One of our People betrayed us to the raiders?”
“Yes. People in positions of trust and authority,” Reynolds said. “Geroux, play that recording.”
Geroux flicked her wrist comp, and a voice spoke. “Walthorn gave me access to the scheduling program. I’ll send the routes to you.”
“That’s Taneral!” Xonera cried. “And she’s talking about the premier. Are you saying the premier worked with the pirates?!”
Taneral, her eyes wide, held up her hands. “That’s not me! I would never betray my ship or my People!”
“You’re right, you didn’t betray your People,” Geroux said. “This recording was faked to cast the blame on you if the evidence was ever uncovered. Or maybe it was going to be planted. Here’s what it sounded like when I stripped it down to the original.”
The recording played again, but the voice had changed.
“Is that Andrean?” Trefol asked.
Andrean snarled and pulled her weapon. “You damn, smug aliens! Prancing in and ‘fixing’ things. Taking precious Taneral on a vacation around the galaxy. Killing and capturing my friends.”
“It’s true?” Xonera said. “You and the premier worked with the raiders?”
“This planet is so messed up!” Andrean said. “Grandfather Walthorn is right. He longed for more freedom, and so do I. We deserve to make our own choices!”
“You do make your own choices,” Trefol said. “You chose to join my crew.”
“That’s because I thought you’d pick me to be the daughter!” Andrean cried. “Not that princess, Taneral! I should have been chosen!”
“You were given the same opportunities,” Trefol replied.
“Yeah, well, now I’m going to take what I want,” Andrean said, aiming her weapon at Xonera.
Jiya, who had quietly circled to the back of the room, pointed a device at the young woman and pressed the trigger. The female slumped to the floor.
“This sleeper thing is awesome,” Jiya said, looking at it in admiration.
Xonera yawned as she looked sadly at her crewmember. “I knew she was unhappy we chose Taneral as the daughter, but I thought she’d gotten over it. It’s been ten years. And I can’t believe Walthorn—”
“Geroux will transmit the evidence to Bonnerel,” Reynolds said. “I’m sorry to be the bearer of such bad news, but you needed to know.”
“Thank you for this, Reynolds,” Trefol said. “If you hadn’t told us, Walthorn might have recruited another group of raiders. Now we can protect our People, and perhaps address the problems that led our premier to believe this was necessary.”
“You are more forgiving than I am,” Reynolds said.
“I didn’t say I forgave him,” Trefol replied. “But I am beginning to understand his motives. Meeting you and your crew has given me new insights. I thank you.”
“I just wish we were parting under better circumstances,” Reynolds replied.
“We can only respond to what ails us today while planning for the future,” Trefol said. “I wish you all the best.”
“And I you,” Reynolds said, bowing to the ship and her captain.
Taneral escorted the crew to the ramp. “Thank you for letting me be part of your journey,” she said. “I will never forget you.”
Geroux and Jiya exchanged hugs with the young alien.
“Thank you for your guidance, Taneral,” Reynolds said formally. “Without your help, we’d still be stumbling around the galaxy. On behalf of my Queen and my ship, I salute you.”
And he did.
“Finally,” Jiya said, slumping into her chair on the bridge. “I am ready to leave.”
“Comm, open a ship-wide channel,” Reynolds said, pacing across the bridge.
“You’re live,” Comm said.
“Attention, crew of the Reynolds,” he began as he paced. “We’re ready to begin the final leg of our journey. You have worked hard to get to this point. I’d like to take a moment to acknowledge your accomplishments. We’ve visited many new and strange planets. We’ve encountered creatures both dangerous and dazzling.”
“Beware the Killer Mizzen of Caerbannog,” Tactical whispered.
Ka’nak growled. “It had nasty, big, pointy teeth.”
Reynolds coughed. “We’ve outsmarted dictators, freed captives, and vanquished pirates. We’ve searched ruins, mined caves, and negotiated with aliens to keep the ship supplied. Takal and his team have created new technologies and repaired our Gate drive.” He paused for applause.
“Now it’s time to go home. As you know, our journey will not be quick. Takal is still working on improving our distance, but in the beginning, we’ll be making a lot of jumps in a short period of time. I’m counting on all of you to have patience and perseverance. No one has done what we’re attempting, and we all need to be ready for the unexpected.
“You have proven to be the best crew any AI could lead. I can’t ask for more than that! XO, take us home!”
“Battlestations,” XO said, starting the familiar routine.
Athena, Reynolds called while XO handled the crew. Are you ready to go?
If you don’t mind me piggy-backing through your Gate, I’d love to tag along for a while, the other ship answered.
I’ll be happy to have the company, Reynolds replied.
“Coordinates laid in, ten thousand light-years towards the Interdiction!” Ria announced.
“Take us home, Ensign,” Reynolds said.
“This is getting really old,” Jiya grumbled. “Ten jumps per hour is exhausting. I feel like we’ve been at this for days.”
“Nine hours, twenty-seven minutes,” Ria reported.
“I forget how easily you biologicals get worn out,” Reynolds said. “You’re just sitting here. What’s so tiring about that?”
“We’ve been sitting here for nine hours,” Jiya said. “My leg cramps are getting leg cramps.”
“If we’re going to operate twenty-four/seven,” Asya said, “I will train a backup crew for the bridge. We need to take a break.”
Reynolds glanced around the bridge. “Start working up a crew rotation, Asya,” he said. “In the meantime, there’s no reason I can’t handle these routine jumps myself. I’ve done it before.”
“I can stay until we bring someone up to speed,” Jiya said as the others filtered out.
“No need, Jiya, but thanks for the offer,” Reynolds said. “There are enough of me to go around. And Athena on the other end of the line. I’ll call you if I need you.”
Jiya peered closely at him. “As long as you aren’t replacing us…”
“I could never replace you,” Reynolds said.
“Aw, isn’t that sweet,” Tactical groused when the bridge was empty. “Meatbags take a lot of back-patting.”
“You’re not exactly low-maintenance,” XO said.
“But I know when I’ve done a good job,” Tactical said. “It’s obvious. Huge crater? Job well done.”
“Must be nice to be you,” Comm said. “You’ve got enough ego for all of us.”
“I don’t think any of us are lacking in the ego department,” Reynolds said. “We just don’t advertise so freely. Maybe tone down the bragging a bit?”
“When you’re this amazing, it’s reality, not bragging,” Tactical said.
Reynolds rolled his eyes. “What do you all think of Athi?” He’d been thinking about the now-independent AI almost constantly since they’d first met. How would his individual personalities behave if they were cut loose like that?
“I’m glad she found a place to be happy, but I wouldn’t want to train my own crew,” XO said. “Honestly, I thrive as a second-in-command. Gotta love having someplace to pass the b-buck.”
They laughed.
“Next jump in ten seconds,” Helm said. “Nine, eight, seven…”
“Carry on, Helm,” Reynolds said.
On zero, the Gate opened, and they slipped through another ten-thousand-light-year gap in space.
“No energy signatures, n-no hostile ships,” XO reported.
“I’d like a little more autonomy,” Doc said. “But I wouldn’t want to be on my own with a bunch of meatbags. They’re fascinating to study and heal, but terrible at chess.”
“G-gate drive ready for the next jump,” XO said. “Helm, cal-calculate the coordinates.”
“What’s with the stutter, XO?” Reynolds asked.
“I d-don’t know what you’re talking ab-bout,” XO replied.
“He’s talking about that,” Tactical said. “I d-duh-duh-don’t na-na-na-no—“
“Tactical, zip it!” Reynolds snapped. “XO, you really don’t hear that?”
“Hear wh-what?” the personality replied.
“Doc, any ideas?” Reynolds asked. “Comm, get Takal and Geroux.”
“Aye, sir,” Comm said.
“I’m a doctor, not a computer programmer,” Doc said.
Tactical snickered. “Damn it, Jim,” he whispered.
“Next jump in ten seconds,” Helm reported. “Nine…eight—“
“Cancel that jump, Helm,” Reynolds said. “I want to know what’s going on with XO before we move a light-second farther.”
“Gate drive on standby,” Helm said.
Athena, we’ve got a weird situation, Reynolds called to the other AI. XO is stuttering. Have you ever experienced anything like that? I haven’t.
Stuttering? Athena said. Like a glitch? That’s not good.
I know, Reynolds said. This is something new. Any ideas?
Athena was silent for a few nanoseconds.
When you were on Jeranth, did you encounter any mors licio plexueris? Athena asked slowly.
Death lace? Reynolds asked, going cold. Looks like a carpet but grows over a person in seconds?
Yes, Athena replied. Did you touch it?
Ka’nak and Petro were covered in the stuff, but we burned it off them, Reynolds replied.
Fire, Athena said with a sigh. It stops the active growth but doesn’t kill the spores. You probably brought some back to the ship. That stuff thrives in a narrow temperature band from just above freezing to what you call forty degrees below. Any warmer, and the growth dies, but the spores remain. If you can take it close to absolute zero, that will kill the spores.
Our memory banks aren’t heated, Reynolds said slowly. They’re in exactly the temperature range you described. Have you had this happen before?
Yes, Athena said. That was why I was sent to the outer reaches of the system. It takes about a week to kill the spores. When I got back, the Jeranthi were gone, so I waited. I was still waiting when you arrived.
At least there’s a cure, Reynolds said.
You’ll have to land all your biologicals, Athena said. Crew can’t withstand those kinds of temperatures.
I know, he snapped. Sorry. I’ll start looking for a place for shore leave. Is he going to get worse?
If it’s in your memory circuits, Athena answered, you’re all in danger.
When Takal and Geroux arrived on the bridge, Reynolds explained what Athena had told him. “We’ll find a place to land the crew and unload anything that can be damaged by the cold. Then we’ll take our week of solitude and kill that damn stuff.”
“That’s a lot of stuff,” Geroux said, starting to make a list. “People, obviously. Plants. Animals. Agroprinters are temperature-sensitive. Plastics will weaken.”
“Wait, did you say animals?” Reynolds asked. “We have animals on board?”
Geroux looked down. “I, uh, might have found a mizzen stowed away.”
Reynolds sighed. “Keep it away from Ka’nak, will you?”
“You can’t stay,” Takal said. “On the ship. You have to be landed along with all the other biologicals. Your body won’t withstand a week of absolute zero.”
Reynolds thought for a moment. “I guess it’s a good thing Athena is still with us, then. She can accompany the superdreadnought, and I’ll ride with her.” Decision made, Reynolds felt better. “Helm, scan for a habitable planet. If you don’t find anything, we’ll make the next jump and scan again. It’s going to slow us down a bit, but there isn’t much we can do about that.”
“Aye, sir,” Helm answered. “I’ve been scanning and cataloging as we go. There’s nothing here.”
“Then form a Gate and let’s try again,” Reynolds said.
Chapter Twenty-Four
Jiya paced across the briefing room, boots scuffing the carpet.
Swish. Swish.
“Stop already!” Geroux threw her hands up in frustration. She and Takal had called Maddox and Jiya to join them after talking to Reynolds. Tactical and Comm were listening in from the bridge.
“I’m worried,” Jiya said. “I pace when I’m worried.”
“I know,” Geroux replied. “Now stop. How are we going to protect Reynolds?”
Maddox drummed his fingers on the table, a habit he’d picked up from the AI. Or maybe Reynolds had gotten it from him. “Do you really think Athena is trying to abduct him?”
Tactical snorted from the speaker. “You mean ‘bot-nap’ him?” he asked.
Jiya waved a hand. “Whatever you call it, yes, that’s what we think. Right, Comm?”
“We overheard some discussions that make it seem likely,” Comm answered. “When we were monitoring communications,” he added in quickly.
“Huh,” Tactical said. “I thought we were worried about Takal getting sucked in by that scientist on Serifity?”
“Who?” Takal asked. “Naida? She suggested we could stay, but I didn’t think she was likely to abduct me.”
“This is me shaking my head in despair,” Comm said. “XO and I were worried about Reynolds, not Takal. Still are.”
“Do you think this plan of freezing the ship is necessary?” Jiya asked. “Or did she invent that to get rid of us?”
“We need to do some tests,” Takal said. “Geroux and I will attempt to retrieve samples from the unheated areas of the ship. That’s the part that bugs me.” He tapped on the screen showing the schematics of the superdreadnought. “The outer layers of the ship are unheated, so they provide insulation. There isn’t a lot of space that would be the appropriate temperature to allow this mors licio plexueris to flourish.”
“I’m not a microbiologist,” Geroux said, “but I should be able to create a mathematical model of the growth patterns if we can get a sample. Then we can predict where it has probably spread and determine if it’s a likely cause of XO’s problem.”
“That’s our first mission, then,” Jiya said. “Retrieve some of this fungus, if it really exists.”
Geroux reached out. Beyond the temporary barrier they’d installed, a robot hand mimicked her movements. “The dexterity is phenomenal,” she said. “Nice work, Uncle.”
Takal nodded in acknowledgment. “Perfecting Reynolds’ body opened a whole new frontier. This waldo wouldn’t be possible without that research. Open that panel.”
The device, which was little more than an arm on a mobile scaffolding, slid forward. The hand inserted a screwdriver and popped open a panel. Geroux shook out her hand. “It’s a little nerve-wracking knowing the death lace might be in there.”
“That’s why I have the hairdryer,” Jiya said. She stood beyond Takal, manipulating another pair of waldos. This one held a device that would blow heated air to stop the fungus’ growth.
“That’s a thermal growth retardant,” Takal said.
“Looks like a blow dryer to me.” She mimed styling her black hair, and the waldo mirrored her movements. “Oops. Time to focus.”
Takal grunted. “You two regress to childhood when you’re together.”
“Sorry, Uncle,” Geroux said, winking behind his back. Jiya grinned.
“I saw that,” Takal said. “Now, press one of those ejector buttons. The card should pop out.”
“You’re sure we won’t hurt any of the AIs’ personalities by removing this?” Jiya asked.
Geroux shook her
head. “Comm cleared this section. They aren’t using it right now.” She pressed the air with her index finger, and the waldo pushed the button. The memory card jiggled but didn’t eject. “Now what?”
“That!” Jiya cried. “Should I bake it?”
Lacy gray fungus oozed out of the tiny gaps around the card. Geroux yanked the waldo away from the panel. “Did it get on the glove?”
Jiya angled the blow dryer away from the panel and blasted the glove. “Damn, that was exciting,” she said. “Seriously, I feel like I’ve just run a marathon.” She pressed her hand to her chest, and the hairdryer waved alarmingly. “Oops.”
“The bad news is, Athena was right,” Geroux said, watching the lace pour down the wall, thinning as it dripped like honey down the side of a jar. “The good news is, she wasn’t lying. At least about the lace.”
“Grab a couple of samples,” Takal said, maneuvering the scaffolding to a new angle.
Geroux slid the waldo into a clear bag, then picked up a long strip of cardboard. She poked the lace and it oozed around the fiber strip, covering it in seconds. She pulled the hand back, breaking the connection between the strip and the wall. Then she used a second hand to pull the bag around the sample and seal it.
“Just like picking up dog poo,” Jiya said, wielding the blow dryer to stop the flow of fungus down the wall.
“I think the technique might have originated in a lab,” Geroux said dryly. “But yeah.”
They repeated the process several more times, then moved to a new location. Each time, they collected three or four samples of the foul growth.
“We are heavily contaminated!” Geroux said. She waved an empty sample bag. “I’m glad this material is impervious to the fungus.”
“So far,” Takal said darkly. “Remember our theory about the long-term effects. Let’s get this stuff to the lab.
“We’ve collected samples of mors licio plexueris from several locations around the ship,” Takal told Reynolds. “I want to see if there are any other precautions we need to take or a better way to kill it.”