Future in the Stars Read online

  “SA8190, Gods, this is going to get irritating. SA8190, as Secondary Controller, I am going to give you another designation. Respond to it as you would your original designation.”

  “As you command, Secondary Controller.”

  “I already figured one out, Kimmy.”

  “Captain Long just stuck me with being second in command. So, when we’re on ship, you need to refer to me as ‘Sub-Captain.”

  “That sucks. Well, Sub-Captain Kimmy, I got to thinking. His number is 8190. There are a lot of T’s and N’s. So, I began thinking of the A.I. as Eton. What do you think?”

  “Perfect. SA8190, your new designation will be ‘Eton’. From now on you will respond to that title.”

  “Will SA8190 continue to also be an acceptable designation, Secondary Controller?”

  “Yes, Eton.”

  “I have stored the new directives, Secondary Controller.”

  “Also, you will no longer refer to me as Secondary Controller. You will refer to me as ‘Sub-captain Baker.”

  “I have also stored this directive, Sub-captain Baker.”

  “These chairs are designed for Ballisonians. Eton. Is there some way we can replace them with Human-compatible physiology?”

  “That will not be necessary, Sub-captain Baker.”

  Ollie yelped and jumped up as the chair began to writhe and reshape. It became a chair fit for a Human.

  “How did you do that?”

  ”I simply ordered the nanites of the chair to reconfigure to support the form of Pilot Briar.”

  “Nanites. Are you able to monitor these nanites so that you know where they are at all times?”

  “No, Sub-captain Baker. The Liberated Ballisonians did not allow this enhancement. I am only capable of ordering the nanites into requested configurations or singular purposes.”

  “What about the energy dome artificial intelligence? What are its capabilities concerning the nanites on this ship?”

  ‘He has no capabilities concerning this ship. The ship is completely autonomous. No artificial intelligences other than myself are able to access or control this ship.”

  “So, that is why it never moved the ship out from under the dome. Got it. Now, educate Pilot Briar on the flight controls of this ship. Then, support him in his launching of this ship.”

  “As you command, Sub-captain Baker.”

  Kimberly stood, watched, and learned while Eton instructed Ollie on the operations of the pilot’s console. After the first hour, Captain Long joined as a spectator. Shortly thereafter, Ollie grinned an ear-to-ear grin.

  “Ready and able, Captain.”

  “Do you think you can get this ship into the Dark?”

  “Just give me the word, Captain. What about the shuttle?”

  “Hawk and I decided that we would keep Bachama as the landing port for the wormhole ship. We’re going to use the shuttle to travel between here and Ballison. In fact, that will be your first test flight, Ollie. I want you to take off, circle Bachama and land next to the shuttle. Not on it. Next to it.”

  “No sweat, Cap.”

  “SA8190, you will monitor Pilot Briar’s actions. If he puts the ship in danger, you will immediately take control and fly it to a safe place in space. Are you capable of performing that instruction?”

  “No, Controller. I do not have the logic matrix for flying this ship.”

  “Oh.”

  “Captain, I’ve been watching Ollie as he learned how to fly the ship. I have a rudimentary understanding of that.”

  “OK, Sub-Captain. Take your station and select a destination for emergency escape.”

  “Aye, aye, sir.”

  “Aw, Cap. You don’t need to do that. I won’t mess up.”

  “Hope for the best, plan for the worst, Pilot. Help the Sub-Captain with her task.”

  “Sure thing, Cap. Sub-Captain Kimmy, ready?”

  “We need to teach pilot Briar some discipline, Captain. On another note, SA8190 has accepted a new designation. Eton.”

  “Much better. What about this Controller stuff?”

  “Eton, you will no longer refer to Captain Long as ‘Controller’. You will refer to Captain Long as ‘Captain Long’.”

  “I have stored the new directive, Sub-captain Baker.”

  “That is going to take some time to get used to,” Kimberly commented, as she ran her new title through her mind.

  “Take us out, Pilot.”

  ,

  Ballison – H.E.B. Alliance Pyramid

  The lounge area on the ground floor of the mammoth, silvery pyramid had become the de facto meeting place for the HEB Alliance governing body and the wormhole ship’s crew. One oddity to the meeting came with Buster and Vidhee sitting on a loveseat configured just for them. The other oddity came from Igaklay’s avatar sitting in a raised, overstuffed chair to attain eye-level with the other two species.

  “This is very frustrating, Commander. I can’t determine if Captain Long and his crew need my assistance.”

  “I know, Igaklay. But you have to keep the yourself invisible to Bachama.”

  “I can’t even visit the ship, although it is outside the energy dome.”

  “And remember, no scans. If you want to find your creators, we can’t risk anything.”

  “I know, Commander. It is just so frustrating.”

  “OK, Slim. Tell us. How are you and your crew doing with the ship?”

  “Cansina?”

  “Except for the wormhole drive and energy shield, I see no problems maintaining the ship.”

  “If there are problems with either, how do you get it repaired?”

  “Eton, has full schematics and will educate me on any repair requirements.”

  “Eton? That’s the name you gave the ship’s A.I.? I like it. Let’s take it a step further. Why don’t you sit with Eton and take a course on wormhole theory and practical engineering?”

  “Captain Long?”

  “Hawk’s right. Get on it, Cansina. As well as the defense shields.”

  “Immediately, sir. I may need to have preparatory studies in order to understand the high-level theories and applications.”

  “Do whatever you need to do, Cansina. What about gravity generators?”

  “The ship has its own. They are powered by dark matter, but they do the same job as our Elonian ones.”

  “What about the replicators?”

  “I have given Eton the schematics to the ones in Griffin. He is currently replacing the old galley with the new equipment.”

  “Good, Kimberly. Now, you need a full complement of personnel.”

  “What are you thinking, Hawk?”

  “To start with, you need a medical station and staff, Slim. You said that the ship holds just over forty people.”

  “And a backup bridge crew, Hawk.”

  “Do you think that you will need one?”

  “Not really. After a jump, we’re in downtime. So everyone has a chance to relax and recoup. Besides, everyone is getting cross-trained. We’re fine.”

  “No extra bridge crew. What about the rest? Mistress Analyn, can we raid some people from Wisdom Seeker?”

  “Are you referring to scientists, Commander?”

  “Yes.”

  “Ever since they heard about the ship, Doctors Roshnak and Ganakin have been eager to join the voyage.”

  “It looks like we have the first volunteers for your science department, Slim.”

  “Yeah. And while we’re at it, I wouldn’t mind a security force. Maybe a marine squad.”

  “Let’s mix it up. Elonians and Marines.”

  “I’ll talk to my father. He should be able to find some of his guardsmen who would like to join Captain Long and the wormhole ship.”

  “That works for me, Mistress Analyn. Thank you.”

  “You are welcome, Captain.”

  “But, we are short of specialists for the bridge. We’re missing a sensor specialist, a navigator and a communications specialist.”

&n
bsp; “I do not think that we can recruit too many more from Wisdom Seeker, Commander.”

  “There’s been a large migration of Clan Kaporine from Elonia. Is there anyone there which we can use and would be willing to sign on?”

  “I do not know, Ambassador. I will bring this up with Father when we discuss his Guardsmen.”

  “Thank you, Mistress.”

  “I think that we need to head back to Tolimar, Slim.”

  “Both ships, Hawk? The wormhole ship and Griffin?”

  “Yup. I think that would be pretty impressive.”

  “We’re ready. You do know that we can reach Tolimar in one hop, right?”

  “Don’t rub it in, Slim. Yeah, I know. Griffin can leave in the morning. You can leave the day after.”

  “What about communication? We can’t install any quant-coms.”

  “We run silent, I guess. Unless we are fairly close. Then we can use human coms tech.”

  “I’ll pull some off of a fighter when we get to Tolimar.”

  “Good idea.”

  “There is something else,” Kimberly interjected.

  “Yes?”

  “This is for Mz. Benton, Vidhee and Dame Srilin.”

  “OK.”

  “Eton has no emotional matrix. It’s like Buster was before he got upgraded.”

  “Yes, we already discussed that.”

  “Well, I was wondering. Could Mz. Benton, Dame Srilin and Vidhee do the same to Eton? Give him a personality? Without decision-making capabilities, Eton is nothing more than a voice-activated piece of hardware.”

  “It was a value judgement at the time, Sub-Captain Baker. We installed the matrix into Legate Buster so that we could understand Griffin which, at the time, was an unknown, alien ship.”

  “I understand, Honorable Vidhee. I am requesting this to promote Eton from nothing more than a machine which follows orders to a contributing member of our crew.”

  “There would need to be in-depth interviewing and inspection of Eton’s code before I can cast a vote of approval with the HEB Association Legal Council.”

  “I understand. Would all of you please discuss my request? I believe it will be extremely beneficial to the operation of the wormhole ship.”

  “We will take it under advisement.”

  The Mistress of Ballison reached down and petted the white leopard synthetic curled up beside her chair. While she stroked an ear, the pet and defender rumbled a low purr, in the manner of all Old Earth cats.

  Looking to the side, she saw Mahajani sit, slumped in his feelings of uselessness and failure. Sadness flashed across her mind as she struggled to help her lifelong friend and protector. Anger followed, anger at those who did this to Mahi. She returned to the situation at hand.

  “If I may, Commander, I have a request.”

  “Yes, Mistress?”

  “Now that Captain Long and his crew have procured the Ballisonian wormhole ship, may I borrow the Mortek frigate? I have business on Elonia which needs to be settled.”

  Everyone knew about the assassination attempt on Analyn and her family. They had seen the rage flowing just under the surface as the Mistress of Ballison continued the business of managing her growing constituency.

  “Slim, are you done with the frigate?”

  “With Bachman giving us the wormhole ship, I’d say yeah, Hawk. She’s all yours.”

  “Keiko?”

  Keiko studied the anger and sadness on her Elonian friend’s face. “No problem here, Krag.”

  “No, Mistress. You may not borrow the frigate.”

  This made Analyn’s ears stand up.

  “The frigate is yours to do with as you please. I recommend that the HEB Alliance give Mistress Analyn a lease on the frigate for all eternity. Cost free. This would include all maintenance and all upgrades as required. Any objections?”

  No one objected.

  “Igaklay, is the frigate completely upgraded?”

  “It has been upgraded to a warship, Commander, not a civilian ship.”

  “I don’t see that as a problem. Do you, Mistress?”

  “No, Commander. In fact, that will help me with my family problem.”

  “I’m sure it will. The ship is yours, Mistress Analyn.”

  “Thank you, Commander, Ambassador.”

  “Slim, let’s get to Tolimar.”

  “You go first, Hawk. We’ll catch up.”

  Krag’s comrade-in-arms said the last with a smirk and a wink.

  Chapter 09

  Aboard Vengeance

  The crew of Vengeance set their post-jump check and review into some semblance of standardization. They worked through the ship, both electronically and manually, searching for anything requiring repair or replacement. They also created a list of maintenance and upgrade recommendations.

  Throughout the allotted recharge time, Vice-Admiral Weiskoff stayed in either his ready room or his personal quarters. During that time, he stewed and planned on how he was going to break free from the Ballisonian yoke.

  Being the true professional, Captain Brewer kept his bridge running at optimum, his crew’s spirits high and the ship battle ready. When the dark matter tanks reached their fill, Vengeance’s klaxons sounded, and the lights shifted to emergency red. Captain Brewer ordered his crew to prepare to jump.

  Five minutes later, Vengeance made its third jump towards the Sol System.

  Ballison – H.E.B. Alliance Spaceport

  With both the wormhole ship and the Mortek frigate being too large to land on the HEBA Headquarters landing pad, they both sat on the Ballisonian spaceport’s tarmac. Two of the wormhole ship’s four-person crew stood on Griffin’s bridge, staring out as Griffin hovered, holding position so that everyone onboard could get a look at the new, Ballisonian ship.

  “It’s a big one, Cap. As big as Mistress Analyn’s new ride.”

  “Yes she is, Mack.”

  “Strange ship. It reminds me of something. Not sure what.”

  “A moth. They are all over New Brittany. Where I grew up.”

  Krag took on a nostalgic look as he remembered his childhood.

  “I used to play with them all the time when I was a kid. The Ballisonian wormhole ship looks like a giant moth.”

  “You’re right. With four antennae instead of two, Captain,” Sue observed. “We have moths on Cencore.”

  “Those form the wormhole, Sue,” Kimberly, the newly promoted Sub-Captain, commented

  “I would love to see her in action.”

  “Ya, Love. Me too.”

  “Not gonna happen, Lug-Nut. Never.”

  “Ya, I know, Love. Nanites.”

  “We would all want to be able to explore that ship. But we can’t.”

  “You’re right, Keiko. Take us in. I think we’ve seen enough.”

  “Aye, aye, oh Captain, my Captain.”

  Krag just rolled his eyes while Mack and Sue grinned.

  “Is this an inside joke?”

  “Buster got it started, Slim. It’s from an Old Earth poet. Walt Whitman. He wrote up a tale about a dangerous sea voyage. Ya should read it.”

  “I’m not much into poetry, Mack. But I’ll give it a look.”

  As the humor and conversation took place, Keiko brought Griffin in for a landing. No one felt so much as a shimmer as she touched down on the tarmac. Next to the frigate, away from the wormhole ship, Griffin appeared as a small dog facing off against a couple of giant wolves.

  “Vidhee, are you ready for your inspection of Eton?”

  “Yes, Ambassador.”

  “No Igaklay technology?”

  “No, Dame Sue. The only suspect technology was my quant-com. I removed it before I left my quarters at the HEBA pyramid.”

  “Slim, let Ollie know that you’re bringing a synthetic being onboard.”

  Having the same cranial net and trembler battery in his body which Krag had in his, Captain Long touched his ear.

  “Ollie, pick up.”

  “Hey, Cap. I see Gri
ffin just landed. You on her?”

  “Yes. Let me talk with Eton.”

  “OK.”

  “Captain Long?”

  “Yes, Eton. You will be speaking to Sub-Captain Baker.”

  “Understood, Captain Long.”

  “Um, Eton, we are going to return with a synthetic being from Elonia.”

  “Understood, Sub-Captain Baker. I will need to verify that the synthetic being does not possess Igaklay-based technology.”

  “Accepted. We will be arriving shortly. Please drop the walkway.”

  “I am dropping the walkway now, Sub-Captain Baker.”

  “This ‘Sub-Captain Baker’ crap is going to get real old real fast, Vidhee. You really need to fix Eton.”

  “I will do my best, Sub-Captain Baker.”

  Kimberly hung and shook her head. The rest smiled.

  “Buster, I will not be able to communicate directly with you. I do not know if Eton can sense Igaklay technology at the other end of an electronic communication.”

  “I get it, Vidhee. I’ve got a handheld communication device.”

  “Sub-Captain Baker, Honorable Vidhee, let’s go.”

  “I hate you, Captain.”

  * * * * *

  Captain Long, Sub-Captain Baker, and Vidhee stopped at the base of the ramp leading into the wormhole ship. Eton stood at its head. The Ballisonian A.I. raised its right hand and pointed a gadget at Vidhee. Vidhee became bathed in a blue light. She waited. The light extinguished.

  “The synthetic being may enter.”

  The three walked the ramp and met Eton at the top.”

  “Welcome aboard, Captain Long, Sub-Captain Baker.”

  “Thank you, Eton. The synthetic being’s designation is Honorable Vidhee. You will refer to her as Honorable Vidhee.”

  “I have stored that designation, Sub-Captain Baker.”

  “I told you so, Sub-Captain. You like being in charge.”

  “Bite me, oh captain, my captain.”

  “Onboard ship, we go professional. Understood, Sub-Captain?”

  “I know, Cap. Just staying loose.”

  “Good. Ready, Honorable Vidhee?”

  “Yes, Captain.”

  “Follow me. All of you.”

  Captain Long led his three charges to the middle of the ship’s cargo hold. Once there, he turned to his second in command.