With Crash on his shoulder, Ngoba had become a pirate ready to fight his way to loot. He grinned at the other humans, his pleasure infectious over Crash’s Link.
“All right, my friends,” Ngoba said, “let’s get frosty. Unhook yourselves, check your equipment. If Kirre here did her job right, she just earned another quarter credit.” He turned to glance at the pilot. “Let’s get hooked up to the ship and find out what we’re getting ourselves into.”
He pointed at Parva and Grichs, who had just locked their helmets on. <Status change?> Ngoba asked over the Link.
They all shook their heads.
After a series of small thrust maneuvers, Kirre docked with the Hesperia Nevada’s cargo bay.
Crash waited for the airlock data handshake, then checked the security token, and eagerly read the other ship’s status. The Hesperia Nevada responded with the registry token he expected from when he had been its pilot for the short trip from the vicinity of Mercury to Cruithne.
The network opened. He had meant to be more careful—but couldn’t contain his excitement as he slipped through.
Data filled Crash’s Link. The Hesperia Nevada was not dead.
In fact, what he found made him pull out of the network completely and sit on Ngoba’s shoulder, blinking with absolute surprise.
DIGGING IN
STELLAR DATE: 03.28.3011 (Adjusted Years)
LOCATION: Emerson Sharp Communications Station
REGION: Vesta, Terran Hegemony, InnerSol
Ty moved to the other side of the airlock and checked the seal mechanism. There was still no power.
<We’re going to have to cut,> he told Manny.
With practiced precision, they both pulled out cutting torches and checked the door assembly for the easiest points to cut the hinges. They might have been soldiers, but they had also received extensive training in architecture and structural design.
Pausing for a second, Ty went back to the outer door to ensure its seal was intact. The door was sealed properly, its mechanical locking system still working as designed, even though the building looked to be at least two hundred years old. It had been made well.
While things didn’t change much on Vesta, unless someone showed up to wreck them, it was still nice to see that this facility at least had been built to last. They wouldn’t have to worry about it collapsing on top of them as they went deeper in.
<I’m ready,> Manny said. <You got your torch lit up?>
Ty nodded.
They made short work of the door and in another five minutes were in a maintenance corridor that appeared to run the length of the building. Stowing their torches, they pulled the rifles off their shoulders and advanced in tactical maneuvers down the corridor.
Being a communications node, the rooms they passed through were full of what looked like computer equipment. Racks of servers and other support systems for the antenna arrays and associated networks filled the rooms. All were dark.
<You know it’s wearing me out that this place looks so dead,> Manny said. <And yet that turret had enough power to come online and try to take us out. What you think about that?>
<I’m with you,> Ty said. <I’m not sure what to make of it. Could’ve been a standalone system. Could be there’s someone in here. You’d think there’d be some residual heat.>
<That’s what I’m scanning for,> Manny said. <If there’s a cockroach alive in this place, we’ll find it.>
<Our equipment is never as good as we think it is,> Ty said. <And cockroaches aren’t stupid.>
Both sayings were favorites among the Special Ops. When the fancy rifle didn’t work, use a crowbar…and never underestimate the enemy.
They travelled down the corridor for at least fifty meters, passing more empty rooms full of equipment. Eventually, they reached an open area resembling a cargo bay. The 20m by 20m room was stacked to the ceiling with shipping crates. A rover missing its wheels sat in front of a set of double doors that appeared to lead to an external airlock.
<That would have been useful to get out of here.> Manny approached the buggy and kicked one of the wheels lying on the floor beside it. A small cloud of dust rose.
Ty walked up beside him, looking around. The environmental scan had come back with atmospheric integrity. If Ty and Manny had wanted to, they could have removed their helmets, but the temperature was just above freezing; the building had a general operational temperature that would protect the equipment. It wasn’t too comfortable for humans. And, even though geological scans had confirmed the existence of thermal systems deep underneath the facility, the scans still weren’t picking up any heat sources.
<What’s the mission again?> Manny asked, shooting him a grin.
Ty rolled his eyes. <Secure the communications relay station.>
<Yeah, yeah. I know that. What’s the real mission?>
Ty leaned up against the hood of the rover. He pulled his rifle against his gut, feeling its hard edges against his stomach.
<I don’t know. Why would you send a remote recon team into a dead relay station on a hunk of rock that no one’s given a damn about for a hundred years?> He waved at all the crates. <This place is no different than everything else was on the way here. It’s all storage, or junk.>
<I think were scouting a forward operating base,> Manny said. <I think the brass are trying to figure out what assets are in place so that we can get a beachhead here for the Alliance to move on Psion.>
<Duh,> Ty said. <You can read about that on the newsfeeds.>
Many shook his head. <It’s not that simple. If Mars wanted to, they could just take back Ceres.>
Ty laughed. <You think if they could do that they wouldn’t have already? Psion had one of the largest armadas in Sol when they came in the first time. As far as we know, all they’ve been doing is building since then. In fact, I don’t have to guess at that. We do know. They haven’t bothered to rebuild the ring because they’ve been using all that material to build new drone ships. They can project power anywhere in Sol. And they don’t have to worry about losing human life. They just copy themselves wherever they want to go. You think you want to go up against that?>
<I’ll go up against whatever Mars tells me to go up against.> Manny slapped the stock of his rifle. <Psion AIs still have bodies. They can be killed. I’m not afraid.>
<You should be,> Ty said. <You’ll get me killed if you aren’t.>
<I’m not afraid of dying,> Manny said.
Ty fell silent. He didn’t know what to say to that. Even if the purpose of their mission wasn’t clear, he didn’t want to give his life for it. He may have given up his past when he joined the Special Ops, but he wasn’t about to give up his future.
<You all right, man?> Ty asked.
Manny shook his head. <Of course, I’m all right. Why you asking that?>
<Because you’re sounding all morbid.>
Manny straightened, lifted his head and looked around the room. <We’re in the middle of nowhere in a morbid place. Think up some jokes instead. We should move.> He nodded toward an exit in line with the corridor they been following, hidden behind a stack of crates. <Let’s get out of here.>
<Whatever you say, boss.> Ty stepped away from the rover and followed Manny out of the cargo bay.
They wove through the rest of the facility, finding more of the server rooms, as well as office spaces, and what looked like crew dormitories. There were lockers full of food in what might have been a rest area. Manny reached inside one of the cabinets to grab a food packet. Cracking the package open for a closer inspection, he tossed the contents on the floor.
<Mac & Cheese, my ass,> he said. <That looks like maggots.>
Ty just chuckled and followed him out of the room. Mention of Mac & Cheese made his mouth water and he could almost smell pasta and cheese sauce from memory.
They had mapped at least three main stairwells with accompanying lifts leading to levels below the first story. The lifts, of course, did not power up; they chose the stairwell c
losest to the cargo bay and began winding down into the dark. The lights on their EV helmets bobbed in front of them as they took the steps.
The next level down was more satellite support-systems. The level below appeared to be focused on maintenance, with workshops full of tools, and winding beds of network filament following the corridors. The third level down was sealed behind a pair of heavy blast doors.
Coming down the stairs, they stopped at the doors and looked at each other mutely, having not expected to find a barrier.
<Should we cut?> Manny asked.
<I don’t see much choice,> Ty said.
They pulled out their torches and went to work on the doors. Fifteen minutes later, they had barely cut a meter into the reinforced material.
Ty turned off his torch and put his hands on his hips, staring at the wall.
Manny looked back at him, letting his torch go out as well. <You tired already?>
<No, I’m just not sure we’re going to get through this thing. Maybe we should find another way down.>
Manny shrugged. <You got plenty more torch left, and all we’ve got is time.>
<Yeah, but I’m wondering if we can just go up a level and cut down through one of the upper floors. That might be easier than trying to get through this blast door.>
<You know if this is reinforced, the whole level is going to be covered in the same material. Why would they only reinforce these doors?>
<That’s how the military might think. But this is a civilian station. I’ll bet you they cut corners where they could.>
Manny pursed his lips. <I’ll keep working on this door and you can go poking around for a floor that sounds thin when you stomp on it>
Ty shook his head. <That’s a bad idea. We don’t want to split up.> He took his torch up again. <We should keep cutting.>
He had just activated the torch a second time and moved it towards his section of the door, when his HUD flashed an electrical activity warning. Ty barely had time to look up, trying to find the source of the alarm, when a hiss crackled in the air. His fist seized around the torch and his body felt like it had turned into vibrating metal. He was caught in a seizure; they must have tripped another defense system.
Ty was able to move his eyes, and found Manny just a meter away with a rictus grin on his face, also trapped in a frozen seizure.
The graphics in Ty’s faceshield popped and pixelated. A shower of color fell through the display and then winked out.
The shock seemed to come in pulses. He was only able to count to three before the next bolt of electricity hit his muscles. Ty tried to move in the interim but felt immediately weak when the electricity wasn’t holding him upright. He slid to the floor as another shock stiffened his body.
As he struggled against the immobilization, the door slid open in front of them.
THE ENCLAVE
STELLAR DATE: 03.28.3011 (Adjusted Years)
LOCATION: Equatorial Junk Yard
REGION: Vesta, Terran Hegemony, InnerSol
Across the Link, Ngoba asked, <What’s the matter with you, my friend? You look like you saw a ghost.>
<I couldn’t stop myself,> Crash said. <I jumped on the network. The environmental controls are all functioning. In fact, the ship must have increased shielding, because it looks completely live and operational.>
<That’s excellent news,> Ngoba said. <What’s the bad news?>
<It wasn’t that I saw a ghost. I saw a thousand ghosts. The aviaries are all full.>
<Full of what?> Kirre asked.
<Parrots, as far as I can tell,> Crash said.
Ngoba raised an eyebrow. <Are you in contact with them?>
<No. I didn’t try. I got the ship status. I saw they were there, and I came back here.>
<Seriously. Why didn’t you tell us the parrot was a hacker?> Parva demanded. She still looked angry from earlier.
<You don’t get paid to know things,> Ngoba said.
<I’d like to know if we have a Link-hacker in the crew. Especially if it happens to be a different species. How do we know he isn’t working for Psion?>
<How do I know you aren’t working for Psion?> Ngoba asked.
Crash looked between the two of them, uncertain what to say. Nothing he could do would make Parva trust him.
The explosives expert suddenly broke out in a big smile. <Calm down, Starl. I know your little bird is on our side. I’m just messing with you.>
Ngoba put a hand on his pistol. <You’d better apologize to my friend.>
Parva tensed. <There’s no need for that.>
<I will shove one of your grenades up your ass if you don’t show my friend the same respect he’s shown you.>
Ngoba’s tone of voice sent a chill over the general channel, making Crash bob his head in fear. He didn’t understand the sudden change in their demeanors.
Crash tilted his head. <I’m not good at reading human humor.>
Parva pulled her gaze from Ngoba and gave him a tense nod. <I know,> she said. <I know. Just trying to tease you a little bit, like I would my little brother. You think it’s going to be funny and then you just feel bad afterwards. I apologize.>
Crash blinked. <I accept your apology.>
He didn’t think the humans had resolved anything. Grichs seemed to be separating himself from Parva.
<Are you going back in there?> Grichs asked. <We need to know what’s on that ship before we go aboard, right?>
<Hey, now,> Ngoba said. <I’m the captain around here. I’ll ask him to go back inside—if anybody’s going to.> His tone was decidedly easier when talking to Grichs.
<Right, boss,> the soldier said.
Crash bobbed his head, adjusting his perch on Ngoba’s shoulder. He focused inward, following his Link back through the handshake between the shuttle and the Nevada. He quickly checked the other onboard systems again, including the engine status, environmental controls, and then area radiation levels. Everything appeared to report perfect working order.
Machine-level maintenance protocols had been running since the Hesperia Nevada had been parked in the scrapyard. A new energy storage system had been installed, which reduced the need for engine operations. As he had observed, the hull shielding had been upgraded. Several labs—and the crew sections—were empty, making the mass profile mostly unchanged. The ship could effectively operate on stored power for years, shielded from outside radiation while exhibiting no sign of EM or bio activity.
Most of the energy draw was focused in the incubation chambers, and what looked to be a food production system that was still running on stores of base ingredients.
Crash moved through the ship systems, circling the area where most of the bio-activity was centered. He avoided the aviaries, hearing the activity on the network like a beehive behind a closed door. The thought of them living here, cut off from the rest of the world, filled him with horror and sadness.
If they were here, had Shara communicated with them?
Shara had been on the Hesperia Nevada when the pirates boarded. She’d helped Crash escape. He knew she had found a way off the ship because she had contacted him on Cruithne, but she had never told him how she got away. Had she left a version of herself here?
Nothing challenged him as he inspected the ship. There didn’t even seem to be a monitoring NSAI. That was strange. If everything was running on low-level controls, who had ensured all the bio signals were safe?
He was checking the maintenance logs when another Link presence brushed him like an eel in dark water. It did not feel human.
Crash pulled back. He waited. When there was no attempt at communication, he moved forward again, opened one of his defensive systems, and asked: <Shara? Are you there?>
Silence.
<What’s going on?> Ngoba asked.
<I think something just tried to contact me.>
<Have you found an NSAI yet?>
<Nothing,> Crash said. <Everyth
ing is running on automatic systems. At first, I thought it was autonomous, but it’s possible there’s a remote connection. I’m worried if I do anything with the communications array, I might either activate a defensive system, or draw more attention to us.>
<Good thinking,> Ngoba said. <Based on what’s going on overhead, I would almost think that we slipped in without anyone realizing.>
<Psion is bombing everything,> Kirre said. <It’s just a matter of time before we’re in their path.>
<Aren’t you a ray of sunshine?> Ngoba said. <You’re right though. Do what you can, Crash. If all that’s in there is birds, we can take our chances. We might need to stun them for their own safety, but we can handle that.>
Crash nodded. He had been wondering how they might approach a thousand innocent birds without sending them into a frenzy.
On the Hesperia Nevada’s network, Crash asked a second time, <Shara, it’s Crash. I came back. I didn’t know you were here, or I would’ve come much sooner.>
The environmental control subsystem sent a connection request. Crash studied the handshake key. It had to be an NSAI, but a non-sentient system would simply send an update.
Crash accepted the request.
A parrot appeared in his Link. She was grey, with a dusting of white around her gold eyes. Her tail feathers were tipped blood-red.
Crash nearly fell off Ngoba’s shoulder in surprise. He flapped his wings to right himself and refocused on the image in his mind.
<Who are you?> he asked.
<You’re Crash,> the bird said.
<I am. Who are you.>
<My name is Silver. The others sent me to find out why you’re here.>
<I’m here to save you,> Crash said quickly. <I was alone at first, like you, but I’ve brought others to help. How many of you are there?>
<No.>
Crash noted the change in Silver’s voice. She went from curious to cold. He pulled back slightly.
<You don’t need to be afraid of me,> he said.
<What makes you think I’m afraid of you?>