Alien Shore Chapter Twelve
GRID Traveler Trinity: Alien Shores
Author: J Carrell Jones
Table of Content
Chapter 12
She flew into a passion and turned away from me, resolved within herself she would be revenged on me; her gold ring from her finger, as she was passing by, she slipped it in my pocket, and for it I must die.
- (The Sheffield Apprentice, circa 1800s)
- (The Sheffield Apprentice, circa 1800s)
Chapter 12
The Johnson emerged into ‘Now’ space some distance from Necron-ten. Loggar fumbled for the STIM. She could barely make out the large ‘STIM’ markings on the hypo. She took another hypo out, didn’t see ‘STIM’ on it and decided that the first hypo she picked was the correct one. She pressed it to her arm. Her eyes snapped open and she could read the small text to a CRT thirty feet away. The tiny writing read, ‘Destination reached, AI in off mode. Normal operations resume.’ She looked over to Sean. He was already standing up and walking toward her.
“How are you feeling?”
Her heart raced for a moment. “Okay, I guess. So, that was a War jump?”
Sean nodded, “Probably the worst you’ll experience.”
“And only on the older ships the crew has to be sedated?”
Sean nodded again.
“What happens if you reentered into a fire-fight, or a star of something?”
“Johnson keeps us safe. During the jump, Johnson’s AI is switched to semi-aware mode. Unfortunately, the SI war left GC paranoid. All ships of Johnson’s class have to keep the AI toggle off during normal operations.”
Loggar saw the sadness in his eyes and heard it in his voice. She dropped the matter to talk about another time. “Anything yet on Necron-ten?”
Sean turned his head thankful Kathy changed the subject. He walked over to one of the many stations on Top Deck. “Miller?”
A young woman, about twenty-two turned around. She was the Sensors Officer. “Yes, sir?”
“Anything? Activity?” Sean asked.
Miller shook her head. “Nothing, sir. I had the recorders running. I just finished looking at the records from entering ‘Now’ space to one-zero seconds ago. The planet seems to be completely absent of most energy.”
“Thanks, Miller.” Sean walked away and back to Loggar. “Nothing. We’ll head for the surface in a few hours. Care to accompany me to Mess?”
She smiled and nodded.
The Webster entered ‘Now’ space. It was a billion kilometers from the coordinates. Robin wanted the Webster out on Johnson’s sensor range. Webster’s Sensors Officer picked up the Johnson on Visible Light spectrum. It had just entered orbit and a small transport shuttle headed toward the surface. Robin calculated that it would take about five-five minutes before the Johnson’s normal sensors would detect the Webster. She wasn’t sure if its Sensors Officer would be looking for a GRID wave signature. She hoped for a lucky break.
“Navigation!” She snapped. “Full power in. Get me to that ship.”
“Aye, aye, ma’am.”
Robin sat back. She tapped on her Command Screen. “All hands, all hands, Battle stations. Repeat, Battle stations, enemy contact in two hours. Prepare for battle.”
Quock stepped out the transport first. She had her hand on her pistol. She motioned for two of her security team members to guard the transport. The others she sent forward into the building. Sean, Loggar, Collins and Maria stepped out. Sean and Collins both wore sidearm. After several minutes, one of Quock’s staff returned.
“Ma’am, all clear for the first one-zero-zero meters.”
“Thanks, Kent. Setup a defense perimeter around the building opening. Send in a forward scout.”
Kent saluted and Quock returned it.
“Okay, Captain, so far nothing.”
Sean nodded, “Okay, let’s see what’s here. Collins, you have anything on Sensors?”
Collins had her Medical CSD out. She tapped on the tiny keyboard. “No life forms except us.”
“Dr. Albright, anything?”
Maria tapped on her CSD. “Nothing Captain. And I mean nothing. No nanobots. This place is absolutely dead of Necronian Magick.”
Sean uttered, “tolas, kolas, yuhonki, ye ohtgi dukufa.”
Nothing.
He said, “Strange. No Magick at all.”
Loggar had been thinking for a moment. “Sean, I’d like to see if this Necron has an Inner Chamber.”
“Okay. Quock?” He called out.
“Yes, sir?”
“I got a gut feeling about this place. Something isn’t right. Secure the area and bring two personnel.”
She nodded, “Young, Andersen, with me and the Captain.”
Loggar had a CSD supplied to her from Sean. Herb, Milkens, and Kurp had wanted to join them on the surface, but she told them to stay. Just in case. She turned the CSD on and tapped at the tiny keypad. A map popped up on the tiny screen. It was a most probable route to the Inner Chamber. “Okay, I got a path. Hopefully it’s a right one.”
They followed her in. Necron-ten, a place devoid of Magick.
Webster was within a million kilometers when her alarms went off. Johnson had launched fighters and positioned itself to attack the Webster.
Robin tapped on her CS. “Engineering, how are my shields?”
A reply came back. “Ma’am, you have one-zero-zero percent.”
“And weapons?”
“Only guns one and two are functional. One zero zero percent. Tubes are ineffectual.”
“Very well, Captain out.” She cut the connection. She tapped on her CS again. “Fighter squadrons, launch!”
Fighters streamed from the Webster out into space. Robin ordered all eighty crafts out. She was going for broke.
Dawn was reading some obscure material when the alert came in.
The Sensors Officer said, “GRID ship has been detected in the area. Ship is about a million kilometers away. Coming in at Light Two. It’s the Webster.”
Dawn said, “Damn! How did they know?” She tapped on her CRT. “All hands, all hands, Red Alert, Red Alert. This is not a drill. Enemy engagement is imminent.” She tapped on the CRT again. “All fighters launch ASAP.” She closed the connection. “Mr. Foster. Take us out of orbit. Shields at full strength.”
Foster said, “Aye, aye, ma’am. Breaking orbit, shields at full strength.”
Dawn tapped out security. “Security, I want a platoon sent to the planet immediately.” She tapped on her CRT again and waited a few seconds. Sean’s voice came out.
“Dawn, yes?”
“Captain, the Webster has entered ‘Now’ space. It will be here in less than a minute. I’m sending a platoon of security to the surface and launched all fighters. Do you want to belay that order and try and come aboard the Johnson?”
Sean said, “No, We’ll stay here. It’ll take at least ten minutes to reach the Johnson. I’m sure Captain Spaarin is not going to let me reach the Johnson safely this time. Take the Webster out, Dawn. Cripple that ship beyond Dry Dock repair.”
Dawn replied, “Aye, aye, sir.” She tapped the connection closed. “Gunnery! Prepare to take out the Webster’s weapons. I want gun ports and tubes X’ed out. Understand?”
Gunnery Control Ensign Milksovlic replied, “Ma’am, taking the Webster’s weaponry out.”
Robin tapped on her CS. “Security, Send a squad to launch bay.” She turned to her first officer, Commander Rogers. “I’m going to the surface. Take the Johnson out.” She got up and left Command Deck.
Sean, Maria, Loggar, Collins, and Quock had walked through the main corridor. Quock left Young and Andersen at the elevator doors. The Base had some power but no nanobots. The group took an elevator to the lower levels and walked to the Great Doors. The doors were opened. They walked past the doors and into the chamber. It was eerie to walk the ten-meter width of the Great Doors. Sean had an urge to keep his hands stretched out, lest the doors come crashing in on them.
The group stopped just inside the chamber.
“Sean,” Loggar said, “This chamber looks to be 10 times bigger than the one back on Necron-one.”
Sean looked around. The place was enormous. He walked over to a container. It was empty. He walked past several. All empty. “Kathy? What do you think? They’re all empty.”
Loggar walked passed a dozen containers. Then she looked in the direction of were the Pillar of Light should be. The base projector that created the light was further away on this Necron adding to the effect that this chamber was much larger. “I think this is just what we thought it was. A backup planet, ready to accept the entire population of all on Necron.”
“All?” Sean asked.
“All. Every single last one of them. Time and interdimensional doubles as well.”
Collins, Maria and Quock walked passed a dozen containers. Mesmerized by the sheer volume of space and the myriad of containers.
Sean’s CSD chirped. He pulled it out. Dawn’s face appeared on the tiny screen. “Captain, you have company. A transport is headed your way. Sending backup security.” Dawn looked up and yelled, “Fire tubes one, three, five!” Then she looked to her right. “Molino, intercept that transport.” Then she looked back at Sean. “Having fun on the surface? Anything exciting?”
Sean thought, ‘Only Dawn could multitask and keep a cool head like that.’ “Nothing exciting. Literally. This place is dead. It’s empty. Just waiting to be filled.”
Dawn looked right. Frowned. Then back at Sean. “Sorry, Captain, Webster’s transport ship got through. You are going to have company in a few minutes.”
Sean nodded. “Thanks, Dawn, we will handle on this end. Out.” He tapped the connection off. “Quock? You heard?”
Quock had just closed the connection on her CSD. She nodded. “Already have security on alert.”
Sean collected the group and they hurried to the upper levels. The elevator doors opened and the group was caught in a crossfire. Sean stuck his head out and saw, to the left, the Johnson’s security team and to the right, saw Webster’s security team. Robin was behind them firing a sidearm. When she saw Sean she holstered her sidearm and closed her eyes. Her hands seemed to glow a dull red. Then she threw an arm forward and a red fireball rushed from her hand. The fireball sizzled in the air and crashed just short of the elevator. Sean was thrown back. Everyone stopped shooting and stared at Robin. Stunned and unbelieving. She pointed a finger at Johnson’s security team. A half dozen on them were tossed aside like toy soldiers in a child’s room. Webster’s security team stared dumbfounded.
Robin looked at them. “I’ll explain later. Arrest them while I take care of the others.” Robin flung her hand vaguely in the direction of Johnson’s security team and those standing flew through the air and into the wall. Robin walked toward the elevator. The doors closed before she got there but she knew where they were going.
The doors closed before Robin reached it. Sean picked himself up. “Kathy, you saw that?”
She nodded. “She shouldn’t be able to do Magick. No nanobots in the air.” She turned to Maria and said, “Maria, how?”
Maria thought for a few seconds. “Captain Spaarin has enough of the Necronian DNA to control the nanobots.”
Collins said, “If that’s the case, why hasn’t the Captain been able to do Magick?”
Maria shrugged, “The Captain hasn’t gone through an emotional state that would trigger his ability.”
The elevator door opened. The group ran out and passed the Great Doors. Sean turned around and touched one of the doors. Nothing. He spread his arms out wide and then closed them. Nothing. Then it sank in. Robin was going to get them. He turned to the others and shook his head. “Not this time.” Then, “Quock, Collins, that side of the door. Kathy, Maria, with me on this side. Shoot on my command.”
Everyone took their places and waited.
Robin stepped out the elevator and walked toward the Inner Chamber. She figured Sean would set up an ambush, but he had a surprise waiting for him.
Sean could hear Robin approaching. Her footsteps echoed loudly. When he was about to give the signal the footsteps stopped. Maria ran out, “They are here.”
Robin knew they were close. She stopped and listened. Then she heard Albright. Maria ran out into the open. “They are here.” She pointed to either side on the Great Doors. Robin smiled and nodded. “Get back to the surface. Tell my team I’ll be with them shortly. I just have some things to take care of.”
Sean listened with dread. Robin was going to murder them. He gave the signal. Quock and Collins stepped out and started shooting.
Robin had anticipated something of the sort and imagined a force shield around her and Maria. The pulse shots bounced harmlessly away. Robin flung her hand to the right. Collins and Quock crashed into a wall, both blacked out. She flung her hand to the left. Sean and Loggar flew backwards into a wall. Maria raced away while Robin stood in front of Sean and Loggar. Her hands aglow in red light and she had a scowl that would give the Devil pause. “You hypocritical bitch! I hate you and all that you stand for. The best thing I could do is rid this world of the likes of you.”
Sean moved Loggar behind him. “Robin, please. You don’t want to do this.”
“Shut up!” She yelled. Years of pain rushed to the surface and exploded. “You were always the better between us. The better pilot, the better leader, people liked you; you were GC’s poster boy. You were on the fast track because you were a line officer and I wasn’t. Then we had the Quail incident and you fell and I didn’t. I bested you! I got promoted first. I got the better ship. I was first!” She hit her chest with a closed fist. “I should have been able to do Magick first. Then she . . . ” Robin spit the word out like it burned the inside of her mouth. “ . . . got you involved and I was a second player again.” She sliced the air with her right arm. Sean and Loggar felt an intense rush of heat pass over and around them. “Not anymore. I will take the nanobots back to Earth and I will be promoted to the board, then I will take over the Most High. And there will be nothing you can do to stop me.” She flashed her hand at Sean and he flew back, knocking Loggar to the ground. Sean hit the wall hard and landed heavily on the floor.
Loggar got up slowly. “Robin, I never did anything to hurt you.”
Robin stepped closer and raised her hand, pointing a finger at Loggar. “You did everything to hurt me. You took Sean.” And a fibrous surge of electricity leaped from her finger and struck Loggar.
Loggar’s body was engulfed in a luminous discharge of fractured light. She screamed.
Robin’s lips curled up into a smile as she discharged another bolt.
Loggar screamed louder and thrashed on the floor. Then she stopped. Smoke rose from her clothes as she laid there looking so much like a heap of burnt clothing. She seemed lifeless.
Robin walked over and kicked at the body with a foot. Loggar remained motionless. Robin walked away laughing to herself. The words, ‘the witch is dead, the witch is dead Ding-dong the wicked witch is dead’ danced in her head.