Void Ship Page 7

  “It’s something that bears watching,” agreed Makera.

  The two of them moved up the corridor, keeping Amanda/Yan in their visual range. They watched as she walked calmly and deliberately, then slowly raised the pistol and fired at the support beam to the left of the hatch. Return fire came from the corridor on the right but Amanda/Yan ducked out of the way with inhuman reflexes and then sprinted down the corridor at breakneck speed, firing all the way. She lunged at the left support wall feet first from half a dozen meters out and broke through the metal and mortar with ease. Renwick watched as she pivoted with speed and precision, taking out the pirate on the right with a single shot of orange coil fire. He watched as she dragged the other pirate out from beneath the rubble of the wall. The wall had been nearly a meter thick. Renwick and Makera came running up to her.

  “That was impressive,” he said.

  “I told you to stay back, I’m not finished yet,” said Amanda/Yan.

  “Both of these guards are dead,” said Makera. Renwick could see her anger rising again. “This one’s neck is broken. Was that your intent?” Amanda/Yan looked at the two fallen Gataan with no expression of emotion.

  “My intent was to neutralize them,” said Amanda/Yan.

  “You certainly did that.”

  Renwick examined the two guards. They were taller than humans, with caramel colored skin and long thickly woven hair. Their faces were quite human-like, except for an almond-like shape to the eyes. He’d never seen a living Gataan before, and then reminded himself that he still hadn’t.

  “I’d prefer there be no more killing,” said Renwick, standing and taking the coil pistol back from Amanda/Yan.

  “What about the pirate on the bridge?” she said.

  “That’s where I come in,” he said. “I’m a negotiator by trade, remember?”

  “As you wish,” said Amanda/Yan, and then she walked away from them, heading back towards the skiff.

  AN HOUR LATER THE EV systems had been restored and the remaining Gataan pirate was in the brig. He had happily surrendered after Renwick had shown him a video of Amanda/Yan’s attack on his compatriots.

  Once on the bridge Renwick had sent out a general call over the com system, hoping some hidden survivors might respond, but everything was silent. They did a quick assessment of the Phaeton’s systems and found her still space-worthy. Her impellers were operable with about a thirty-percent reserve, and her local jump point generator was intact. The HD drive was a mess though, and wouldn’t be working again until they managed to find a base. He called Poul and Myra over and had them start unloading supplies from the skiff.

  “What’s your plan, Renwick?” asked Amanda/Yan when they were alone on the bridge.

  “With the local jump point generator intact I can set up a program to take the Phaeton back to a Unity base. That will leave the rest of us free to make a rescue in the skiff,” he said.

  “Rescue? Of whom?” Amanda/Yan demanded. Renwick looked directly at her.

  “Of the remaining crew of the Phaeton. Our prisoner was very forthcoming to the Ambassador about there being human survivors taken off the ship against their will. Two women and one man. We are going to rescue them,” he said, his statement was matter-of-fact and left no room for negotiating.

  Amanda/Yan grabbed him by the arm and twisted him around in the captain’s couch. “Are you insane? There’s the entirety of the Known Cosmos to save,” she said. Renwick winced in pain at her grip and she quickly withdrew her hand. He noted that the Yan side of her dual personality coming through again.

  “I’d appreciate it if you’d keep your new-found strength in check!” he snapped at her, pulling his arm close and rubbing it. “And no, I’m not insane. Captain Aybar and her crew risked their lives to save us. I’m not going to let them rot in some sex slave camp as a reward. Perhaps in your time captain, such things as right and wrong didn’t mean as much, but I assure you that in my time they still matter.”

  “Renwick, are the lives of a few worth so much more than the millions you’ll be able to free from the darkness of the Void?” she said.

  “They’re all valuable, Captain Yan, I make no distinction. And it’s not millions, it’s billions,” he said testily. “I’m well aware of the stakes.” He snapped his arm back and forth and then returned to his console.

  “So you’ll make the billions wait for three people?” she asked. He spun around at her.

  “I damn well will! Now if you’ll excuse me, I have a program to encode. Perhaps you could make yourself, and your personal strength, more useful unloading the skiff with the others.” Then he turned his back to her and started programming the local jump drive, hands moving furiously over the control console.

  7. to skondar

  “Why are we going to Skondar?” asked Ambassador Makera, ensconced once again in the pilot’s nest of the rapidly moving skiff. “Cundaloa is just as likely a destination for slave traders.”

  “Because Skondar is the closest, and if I know my Gataan pirates like I think I do, then they’ll want to unload their cargo as quickly as they can,” said Renwick, swiveling towards her from the co-pilot’s couch. “They won’t want it to get out that they’ve taken to ambushing Unity cruisers on a regular basis.”

  The three of them, including Amanda/Yan, had left the Phaeton with Rand and Myra, back in the Minara system nearly a day ago, along with their locked-up pirate passenger. After unloading supplies for the Phaeton’s slow trip home to Unity space, Renwick had said his goodbyes to his negotiating team. The skiff had then been reloaded with provisions and military supplies left aboard Phaeton by the pirates in their haste, including several coil rifles, pistols, and packs of stun grenades, things that might come in handy on a slave trading station. Renwick had watched with a sense of satisfaction as the Phaeton had jumped out of Minara space on the first leg of its multi-jump trip. He was confident they would get home safely.

  The skiff had been in Skondar space for an hour, and now Renwick had time to turn his attention to the journey to the trading post. Makera was flying, while Amanda/Yan stood motionless behind them. One of the advantages of being an android was she didn’t require any rest or sleep.

  “You make me nervous,” said Makera to Amanda/Yan. “Couldn’t you just go lie down in the back for a while?”

  “I could, but I’d be as awake as I am now and not nearly as useful,” said the android. “I really don’t have an ‘off’ switch in this body, Ambassador, I suggest you get used to it.”

  “You and Renwick could go have sex,” deadpanned Makera. Amanda/Yan looked down at her Raelen companion.

  “Uh, hello,” said Renwick. “I am right here.”

  “You wouldn’t mind?” Amanda/Yan said. Makera shook her head.

  “Of course not. Raelen women aren’t as possessive as humans. The desire for sexual variety is common in both human and Raelen males. We have matured enough to accept it, that’s all.”

  Amanda/Yan turned her attention to Renwick.

  “Senator, could I interest you in-“

  “Forget it,” Renwick cut her off. “I’m pleased to know you’re fully functional, Yan. And the casing is pleasing to the eye, I’ll give you that. But I think I’ve already gone where no man has gone before enough on this trip.” Amanda/Yan straightened back up and returned to staring out the forward window.

  “As you wish,” she said.

  “I thought you couldn’t feel anything in that body anyway?” said Renwick. Amanda/Yan responded without turning her attention away from the window scene.

  “It is unusual. Clearly this body is designed for sexual activity, but I don’t know if I would enjoy it. It’s like there’s no neural connection to the pleasure center of the android’s brain, if there is one, even,” she said.

  “Perhaps you should have asked before you hopped in the driver’s seat,” chimed in Makera.

  “Always read the owner’s manual,” said Renwick. Amanda/Yan didn’t react and the conversation seemed se
t to end, then:

  “Do you think I’m acting differently since I’ve been in here?” she said. Renwick looked to Makera, then shifted in his couch.

  “I would say you’re less yourself, at least from what I know of you,” he said. “Is it possible integrating with the android mind is altering your persona program?”

  “Possible,” she said. “But then I am just a collection of digital data files to begin with. It’s difficult to remember that sometimes.”

  “Well at any rate you’re both still annoying me, and we have three more hours to the trading post,” said Makera. “Why don’t you go play a game of... oh, what do you call it? Chess?” Renwick looked up to Amanda/Yan, who turned and smiled at him in a mechanical way.

  “Well, if you’re certain you won’t try sex...” she trailed off.

  “I’m certain,” he said. She gestured to the back of the compartment.

  “After you, Senator.”

  “I WAS NEVER THIS GOOD before,” said Amanda/Yan as she closed in on winning her sixth straight game.

  “And I was never this bad. I was champion at my university three years running,” said Renwick. “I think the android mind is seeping into your thoughts.”

  “Does that concern you?” she asked without looking up from the board.

  He was pensive about answering. “I’m not sure,” he said honestly. “After the incident with the pirates-“

  “That was well within the range of my normal personality,” she said.

  “Yes, but there was a certain coldness to your behavior. My concern is that if your emotions are limited, you’ll lose higher cognitive decision making ability.”

  “Things like compassion,” she said.

  “Exactly.”

  “I trust you’ll continue monitoring me?”

  “Oh yes,” he said. She made her checkmate move.

  “Good,” she replied.

  A sensor beep from the pilot’s nest got both of their attention.

  “What is it?” asked Renwick, already moving to the co-pilot’s couch.

  “We’re picking up traffic from the trading post,” said Makera. “I’m activating defensive systems, such as they are.”

  “Is that wise?” asked Amanda/Yan. “It could attract unwanted attention.”

  “I’m not flying into a station where I could be imprisoned like chattel unarmed,” Makera replied.

  “I agree,” said Renwick. “It may be a provocation but if we arrive through the proper channels we should be received as traders, not as potential stock for the auctions.”

  “What is our cover to be while we search for your friends?” asked Amanda/Yan. Renwick looked at the two women.

  “Makera and I are a merchants. You are our servant. I think it’s best that way because if we were taken you would be most likely to be able to take care of yourself,” he said.

  “Lovely,” said Amanda/Yan.

  “Stand by,” said Makera. “The station is transmitting coordinates. I’m vectoring us in for approach.”

  Renwick took Amanda/Yan by the arm and led her out of the Ambassador’s hearing range. “Yan, there’s something I want to ask you,” he said.

  “Am I to be traded for your friends?” she replied, anticipating the question.

  “It does make some sense,” said Renwick. “An android of your obvious sophistication could bring a high price or great value in a trade.”

  “And do you intend to leave me behind if things get difficult?” she asked. Renwick looked up to her.

  “We leave no one behind,” he said, then returned to the pilot’s nest and strapped himself in for the docking.

  SKONDAR WAS AN UGLY place. The planet itself was devoid of atmosphere and a dull brown-gray in color. The station that hovered in orbit above it wasn’t much better. It looked like it had been cobbled together from pieces of various other constructs over the centuries, which probably wasn’t far from the truth. As the Void had grown other stations had probably had to be moved by the Merchant Networks, and many of them no doubt had ended up here, merging themselves with the original station.

  The central core of the station looked symmetrical, but as the trading post had grown outward it had acquired a distinctly lopsided and ungainly appearance, not to mention its reputation as a place where legitimate merchants rarely went, except out of necessity.

  “We’ve been given a docking port number,” said Makera. “That is, if we’re ready?”

  “We will be,” said Renwick. The Ambassador followed the station master’s instructions and got the skiff in queue for docking. Renwick took Amanda/Yan aside again.

  “Can you keep any weapons on you?” he asked her.

  “I can store weapons inside me, in my main body cavity, if that’s what you mean,” she said.

  “That will do,” said Renwick. He spent the next several minutes handing her coil charge packs and a stun grenades while Makera guided them in to the station. The android lifted her tunic top and started to peel back a layer of human-looking skin. He preferred not to watch how or where she stored the items. “We’ll go in brandishing rifles and pistols, like we know how to use them,” he said to her. “They’ll likely confiscate the charging packs and let us keep the guns for show. We’ll use you as our backup in case things turn ugly.”

  “In case?” she said.

  “When they turn ugly,” he corrected. He handed her a pistol. “You may need this,” he said. Amanda/Yan took it silently and he looked away again.

  “All ready,” she said after a moment. “You can look now, Renwick.” He did. He saw that her skin was seamless once again as she pulled her tunic top down over her skirt. He went back to the co-pilot’s couch.

  “Take us in, Ambassador,” he said.

  THE STATION GUARD THAT greeted them was human and overly-adorned with medals and weaponry. He was backed by two more guards of the same general size, shape, and demeanor. They stood in the airlock doorway, blocking the entrance to the station.

  “State your business,” the leader said.

  “We’re free traders,” replied Renwick, gesturing to Makera. “Here to see what we can bargain for, and perhaps acquire, and possibly sell.”

  “What are you selling?” said the leader. It was clear that satisfying this one man was the key to gaining access to the station. Renwick nodded towards Amanda/Yan. The guard took a step into the skiff but Renwick’s hand to his chest stopped him. Renwick was a tall man, and lean, but muscular. The guard was just huge, but not so huge that he dwarfed the Senator. Renwick’s show of territoriality had the desired affect though and the man backed off. He looked at Amanda/Yan.

  “We get a hundred just as pretty as her through here every day,” he said. “And it’s a buyer’s market.”

  “We don’t have time to dawdle with you,” started Makera, but Renwick grabbed her arm and forced her backwards.

  “I’ll speak for us, woman!” he said angrily. Her eyes lit like fire but she recognized his ploy and bowed her head to keep the guard from seeing her rising anger.

  “Apologies,” she said in as soft and meek a voice as she could manage. Renwick turned back to the guard.

  “A Raelen woman,” the guard said. “Now she could get you a pretty penny in the exchanges.”

  “She is my companion, and not for sale,” countered Renwick.

  “Too bad,” said the guard. Renwick pushed Makera behind him.

  “Now back to what I am trading. As you say, a hundred as pretty as her a day. But can any of those hundred do what this one can do?” The guard crossed his arms.

  “And what would that be?” Renwick motioned to one of the subordinate guards.

  “Have him give me his rifle,” he said.

  “What for?” demanded the guard.

  “A demonstration,” replied Renwick, challenging him. The guard hesitated a moment, still sizing up Renwick, then motioned for the underling guard to hand over his rifle, which he reluctantly did. Once he had it the leader decoupled the charging
pack and handed the now-powerless rife to Renwick.

  Renwick hefted it. “Standard Unity issue from the Precaren Conflict era, I’d say. Thirty or so years old, a bit heavy and inaccurate for today’s uses, but still a good weapon. Wouldn’t you agree?” he said to the lead guard.

  “It’s not Precaren, and it’s forty years old,” admitted the leader.

  “Even better. Depleted uranium shells actually make the barrel harder and scoring from the energy fire seal any fractures. These are nearly unbreakable. I’m a collector, you see,” said Renwick. The guard cocked his head as if he were growing bored.

  “Your demonstration, sir?” he said. Renwick tossed the rifle to Amanda/Yan, who caught it with one hand, turning it effortlessly to examine it, then started bending it, barrel first.

  “What the hell-“ the lead guard started for the rifle but Renwick blocked him.

  “You did ask for a demonstration,” Renwick said.

  Precious few seconds later and Amanda/Yan had twisted the rifle barrel into a loop shape, curving it back in on itself. Then she tossed the rifle back to Renwick, who caught it with both hands and pressed it into the guard’s chest.

  “Now, can any of the hundred other girls as pretty as her that will come through here today do that?” he said. The guard held the broken rifle in disbelief, then handed it back to the underling.

  “You’ve earned your passage to the station,” said the guard. “But you’ve not yet paid your trading fee.”

  Renwick knew he meant that he needed to be bribed. He turned back to Amanda/Yan with a nod. She went to a supply cabinet and pulled out three of the coil rifles captured form the Gataan pirates, handing one to Renwick.

  “Next generation Unity coil rifle, the New Madras Mark 7. Seventy percent more efficient than what you’re carrying and half the weight. Charging packs will give you three hundred rounds before you have to reload, and it can fire stun grenades from the barrel as well.” He handed the unloaded the rifle over to the guard. The man ran his hands across it, hefted it and checked the sight, then nodded.