ã€ŠDerelict Thief: The Acquisition Specialistã€‹


 Chapter 1

    My name is Gypsy Peligro. Yes, my parents were horrible weirdos, and no, I¡¯m not a stripper. You see, my last name was given to me by the adoption agency when no one took me in. My tendency to cause trouble and cause havoc earned me the nickname Danger, hence the last name Peligro, which translates to, you guessed it, Danger. Gypsy is a rather racy name but its origins of course originate with the traveling folk of old. Aka, Traveling Danger. It doesn¡¯t help that Gypsy Danger sounds like a stripper name. That¡¯s why I go by Ginny.

    I¡¯d landed myself in hot water, as per usual. Trouble had a way of finding me. I¡¯d traveled far from the orphanage in South Bends but even at twenty-four I still attracted trouble like a magnet. My tendency to take things literally didn¡¯t refer to speech. No, I was a kleptomaniac or in common speech, a thief. That is why I couldn¡¯t help but break in and take a few things from the Triv ambassador¡¯s suite when he and his plethora of staff were attending meetings or some other boring social affair. I¡¯d never stayed in such a fancy hotel and just wanted to have a look around, but when I spotted such a prize just sitting on the counter, I couldn¡¯t resist.

    I should have known better. When my eyes see something interesting, my fingers turn to magnets.

    The Triv aliens had the penthouse suite at the ritzy Biltmore Hotel, five stars of class and another two tacked on for security and delicious food. Slicing through the security was almost a challenge but I still made quick work of the high-end system. Waltzing into the room like I owned it, I couldn¡¯t help the gleeful smile as I ran and jumped on the bed.

    Watching the playback of a recording as my butt grew sore from sitting in the hard courtroom chair wasn¡¯t nearly as fun. We¡¯d been here for hours. It¡¯s a wonder criminals didn¡¯t give up crime for the inhumane torture they forced us through with these sentencing trials.

    My hands were cuffed to the desk and my ankles shackled together. They did allow me one small mercy, I wore slacks and a button-down blouse instead of the godawful yellow-striped jumpsuits Radon planetary security used for its inmates. Wretched things.

    ¡°Do you still deny stealing three vials from Ambassador Norwin¡¯s suit?¡± The legal bonehead asked, pointing at the screen and his ¡®evidence¡¯ of my theft. ¡°This is clear proof you were in his room.¡±

    I gave him a flat smile. ¡°That could be faked. Heck, I could make something more convincing in half an hour with the right gear.¡± How could I not take them? They were sitting right out on the counter, practically screaming ¡®Take me¡¯!

    ¡°Members of the jury, the recording has been verified by three separate experts as being genuine. Miss Peligro was indeed in the Ambassador¡¯s suit the day of the robbery. She was caught fleeing the scene, and residue matching her gloves was found on the vials recovered from the waste chute. These facts prove, beyond any reasonable doubt, that Miss Gypsy Peligro stole the Ambassador''s property.¡±

    My stomach sank, and as the prosecutor turned his flinty gray eyes on me I couldn¡¯t help but swallow hard. My goose was well and truly cooked. Prosecutor one, Ginny zero.

    There wasn¡¯t much to say after that. The jury ruled and I was found guilty of all charges. The only deviation from the expected norm was being turned over to the aliens to pay for my crimes in whatever manner they deemed fit.

    ¡°Wait, what?¡± I demanded when someone finally got around to telling me.

    My protests were way too late to matter, even if anyone had cared to indulge me. The Ambassador''s men, Triv Enforcers, had already arrived to collect me.

    They wore black body armor and looked more menacing than Radon space marines. Without a word, they hauled me from the cell and pulled me toward their shuttle, ignoring my protests the whole way. Twenty years in prison was nothing to look forward to, but I knew the rules and what to expect. Once in the alien''s custody, anything could happen. Before we even left the prison building, one of the enforcers injected me with something.

    ¡°What was that?¡± I demanded, my panic rising ever higher.

    ¡°Tracking compound,¡± a metallic voice replied.

    I don¡¯t know why he answered, it was the first time had spoken. Probably just to hammer home how hopeless my situation was.

    The aliens were humanoid and roughly the same height as humans. They had soft pale blue-gray skin and large eyes like aquatic creatures. They were also way more advanced than us. Radon had FTL technology and even a fleet of warships but the aliens known as the Triv, could run circles around us and that didn¡¯t even account for their vast empire and killer tech like quantum communications. Our only advantage was our high birthrate and that would only serve to give them more targets if we ever tried to fight them.

    So yeah, I was screwed. Even if someone wanted to intervene on my behalf, no one would dare. Not for a thief who robbed the Triv ambassador. I¡¯d be shocked if they weren¡¯t falling all over themselves to please the aliens. No doubt surrendering me to their custody was part of that butt-kissing.

    The enforcers had no trouble managing little old me. I didn¡¯t resist. There was no point. Even if they weren¡¯t wearing power armor, there were eight of them and I was still chained up. I wasn¡¯t some kickass fighter, just a skilled thief.

    They took me into their shuttle and blasted off even as they strapped me in. My heart pounded with fear. I was completely in the dark about what was happening, or where they were taking me.

    Looking out the window, I caught one last glimpse of my homeworld, Radon, before the shuttle banked away. We cleared the planet''s gravity enough to alter course without wasting excessive power and headed for the Triv ambassador¡¯s flagship.

    None of the enforces spoke to me on the flight. Some minutes later I sensed a change. The artificial gravity shifted slightly, a sign that we had altered course. I tried to stay calm but I was almost shaking as fear and adrenaline mixed into an unholy cocktail in my system. Without warning, one of the enforces dropped a bag over my head. I couldn¡¯t glean much as we landed and they led me off the shuttle. The echoing sounds told me I was in a large hangar but we didn¡¯t stop.If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.

    After too many turns to count and several elevator rides I was finally forced into a chair and the bag was removed. My breath was shallow and my pulse pounded rapidly. My hands trembled in fear. I tried to get a hold of my jittery nerves but it was hopeless. Across from me sat the Ambassador himself.

    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t have stolen from me,¡± he said, eyeing me coldly with his unblinking fish-like eyes. He spoke my language quite well.

    I swallowed hard. ¡°Sorry?¡±

    ¡°You will be,¡± he promised. ¡°As amusing as it is to see you left in the dark, it will be more satisfying if you know your fate in advance. You will be transported to Trival to stand trial for theft where upon confirmation of your guilt, you will be sent to the Breakers.¡± He smiled nastily. ¡°The Breakers will take you apart piece by piece until you beg for death. Unimaginable pain and suffering await you, Gypsy Peligro, and only when they are satisfied you¡¯ve paid the penalty in full will you be allowed to die.¡±

    I could feel the blood drain from my face. He laughed at me and smiled. ¡°Yes. Three vials of life-extension therapy will see you suffering for years before you¡¯ve paid your debt. There is a reason the crime rate is practically nonexistent in our society. If you humans punished your lawbreakers appropriately, crime would plummet but no. You employ a very soft legal system. On Trival, we know how to build a better society. One without disorderly troublemakers.¡±

    He waved his hand and the enforcers closed in on me. ¡°Wait! Please! I¡¯ll do anything!¡±

    My desperate pleas were ignored. I kicked and screamed but only managed to bruise my arms and legs as they pulled me from the chair.

    The Ambassador laughed cheerfully at my hopeless struggles. Before I was hauled from the room he said, ¡°Place her in stasis for the journey. I wish I could be there when she¡¯s handed over to the Breakers. Unfortunately, I had responsibilities here. Give my regards to your Captain.¡±

    Stasis was bad. It would leave me no opportunity to escape. I knew without a doubt if I went into stasis, my life was over. I fought with all my strength but it changed nothing. I was forced into the pod, strapped down, and the pod engaged. I strained my muscles fighting the bonds until the very last second. Then the drugs took me and I knew no more.

    Somewhere between Radon and Trival:

    With a flash of light, a sleek spaceship appeared in space. The crew quickly ran checks and matched their location with the information they¡¯d received. All checks were green. The target would briefly drop out of the hyperway before recharging its hyperdrive to continue its journey.

    The twin suns orbiting each other nearby blanketed the system with harsh radiation. It degraded the sensors but the ship¡¯s shielding protected them from harm. The timer slowly ticked down. With a similar flash of light, another ship dropped into the system. Orders were called out, weapons locked on and the battle was joined.

    Despite the ambush, the target ship put up a heck of a fight, six of their ten weapons were disabled before they stripped the enemy ship of its weapons. Boarding parties were launched. The boarders fought their way to the stasis pods leaving wreckage in their wake. Small arms fire and explosions filled the ship but the resistance was overcome. They quickly deactivated the maglocks and removed one pod in particular and were about to retreat to their shuttle when one of the defenders, mangled from an explosion, fired a final grenade from his launcher before bleeding out.

    The grenade exploded, killing two more of the boarders and damaging the power line to several stasis pods. The borders didn¡¯t notice the damage, nor did they care. They already had what they came for. The last of the boarders punched in a new course to take the stricken prison ship into the sun. There would be no evidence of their rescue and no reported survivors of the missing ship.

    Aboard the Triv prison ship:

    I woke with a gasp, trying to suck air into my lungs. I hacked up some fluid before finally getting a breath. My arms were bound and I could feel sweat beading on my brow. The stink of fried electronics filled my nostrils.

    I could hear something burning and the red warning lights flashed through the glass cover on the pod. Something had damaged the stasis pod I was in and severed one of the straps holding me down. I wiggled my hand until it slipped free and then released the rest of the restraints. My feet were shackled still by my hands but had been freed to put me in the pod. I pushed the pod open with a grunt and looked around.

    My pod had been moved at some point after I¡¯d been put under. Instead of the small room I''d been in before, I found myself in a large bay with dozens of pods around me. The hum of machinery told me something still had power but the row of pods were all flashing warnings. I coughed and struggled to breathe due to the smoke-filled air. Fire suppression systems had discharged their foam all over but something still burned. Mangled bodies were lying all over. I recognized the Triv enforcers by their armor. Other dead bodies wore similar gear but of a different design.

    One badly mangled body caught my eye and turned my stomach. Nauseated at the sight, I puked. Fluid from the pod splattered across the deck plates.

    Moving to one of the flashing pods, I examined it. The power line had been destroyed and the occupant was dead. The pod''s occupant was a Triv. Dead eyes staring up at me with its mouth hanging open. I jerked back in surprise as a pitiful cry sounded from my mouth.

    A steady stream of stasis fluid drained from his nose and mouth. He¡¯d drown to death when the system malfunctioned. I tore my eyes away and moved to the next one. A glance was all I needed to know he¡¯d shared the same fate. Ten more pods, all dead.

    ¡°How did I survive?¡± It was no real mystery. After a little investigating, I spotted a puddle of stasis fluid pooling behind my pod. An explosion had knocked my pod around and inadvertently saved my life. The others weren¡¯t as lucky. I was the only survivor. A space caught my eye. There was a pod missing.

    ¡°Maybe not the only one then,¡± I muttered.

    I braved the gore and moved to one of the dead enforcers. I was still in my prison jumpsuit from Radon and barefoot. I couldn¡¯t wear his gear but I took his sidearm and the comm from his helmet. On one of the borders, for they couldn¡¯t be anything else, I found a wrist computer and several small charges for breaching doors. I claimed them and moved on.

    I left the pods behind and moved into the hall. More bodies littered the floor. I was breathing hard. The air was hot and smokey. The ventilation systems must have been damaged too.

    Everywhere I went I found bodies. Was everyone dead? I found where another pocket of resistance had fought to the end. The enforcers had put up a serious fight, killing nearly as many as they lost. I followed my intuition as I searched for a spacesuit and oxygen. The air was quickly growing unbearable and I was drenched in sweat from the heat.

    I finally found an emergency kit by an airlock and hastily pulled on the light spacesuit. The oxygen mixture the Triv used in their air tanks was a close match to Radon¡¯s atmosphere. I breathed in deeply and when I stopped coughing, I continued to the bridge. I kept my guard up, but everywhere I looked I saw damage and bodies. My gut told me I was the only living person aboard.

    The bridge had seen heavy fighting. The Captain was sprawled out on the floor next to his command chair and his officers still lay where they fell. A few borders kept them company on the deck plates. By that point, I was growing numb to the carnage. My focus was on survival above all. I¡¯m sure it would haunt me later, but for now, I kept the panic at bay.

    I used the wrist computer to link with the ship''s computer but access was denied. No surprise there. I sliced through the security using a virus I found on the wrist computer. The borders had been well prepared and in a few minutes, I had partial access. It wasn¡¯t enough to do much but let me view a lot of data.

    I wish I hadn¡¯t. What I found was not good. Not good at all. The ship was on course for one of the system''s twin stars.

 Chapter 2

    I let out a curse. ¡°Out of the frying pan and into the fire! Blast, I think they invented that saying just for this occasion!¡±

    I had no idea how I was going to get out of this one. My name was Trouble, and by golly, if I didn¡¯t find it in spades. At least it would be faster than the Breakers. That was a plus. On the bright side, the very bright side, the sun was growing closer but I wasn¡¯t a quitter.

    ¡°Think. Think! Come on Ginny, use your head!¡± I looked around the bridge. My eyes landed on the Captain.

    ¡°Okay, ships damaged, the crew is dead. I can¡¯t control the ship or¡ªwait, shuttle bay!¡± Most large ships had a hangar with shuttles. If I could get to it quick enough, I might be able to hack one and fly it out of here before the gravitational pull of the sun made escape impossible.

    I snatched the keycard from the Captain¡¯s corpse, taking his very expensive-looking quantum communicator while I was at it. I rushed back to the ship computer I¡¯d hacked, pulled up a ship schematic, and quickly memorized the route to the hangar before darting to the exit.

    Running through the ship, trying to ignore the dead bodies and puddles drying blood, I made quick progress. Even the bulkhead doors didn¡¯t slow me down much. The captain¡¯s keycard overrode the lockdown and the doors opened.

    I was panting in my spacesuit. The heat made sense now. Even the frinkin¡¯ sun wanted to cook my goose. I was halfway to the hangar when an automated voice sounded from the ship''s internal speakers.

    ¡°Warning, warning. Prepare to repel borders. Hostile ship approaching. Warning¡ª¡±

    I ignore it. The blasted ship was a little behind the times. The borders had already come and gone. I glanced at one of the dead intruders. Well, some of them left. For many this would be their final resting place, but not me. I was going to escape. I wouldn¡¯t die here.

    A jolt ran through the ship. I was almost to the hangar now. ¡°What the heck was that?¡± I demanded.

    The unhelpful automated message continued to repeat. ¡°Warning. Warning. Borders have landed in the shuttle bay.¡±

    Wait. That was new. ¡°What? You¡¯ve got to be kidding me,¡± I muttered. ¡°Where did they come from?¡± I¡¯d glanced at the sensors before making for the hanger, there were no other ships in the system. There was no way anyone could be here fast enough to board Triv''s prison ship already. It wasn¡¯t possible. Even if a ship had arrived since I left the bridge, there was no way it could have traversed into the system so fast and be landing borders already. We were practically in the star¡¯s corona. No ship could exit the hyperway that close to a star.

    I continued to the hangar. It was my only hope at this point. Borders or not, I had a strong suspicion they wouldn¡¯t be picking up hitchhikers, which meant I was on my own, as usual.

    The final corner came into view. I was practically swimming in my space suit due to all the sweat pouring off me. Metallic footsteps clued me in that something was moving up ahead. Blast, was that computer right? I couldn¡¯t believe it. I risked a glance.

    Six smoke-gray colored war machines were moving to exit the hangar. One looked directly at me and raised its arm holding a weapon. A powerful built-in weapon deployed from its shoulder and spun to track me.

    ¡°Target acquired,¡± a robotic voice said.

    I jerked back from the corner and cried out in surprise. An eerie tone sounded and then a two-foot hole was blasted from the corner where my head had just been. I screamed and stumbled back as melted slag splattered the far wall. I tripped and landed hard on my buns. That saved my life. A line of superheated plasma cut through the bulkhead above my head, slicing through the metal like butter and continuing through the next wall without any apparent effort. If I¡¯d still been on my feet. I¡¯d be beside myself right now. In pieces.

    Shimmying backward I scrambled to my feet and fled back the way I¡¯d come. What the heck are those things? The clomping sound of metal footsteps added urgency to my mind. I made haste and dove into the first open door I saw. I wasted no time looking for another way out. The problem was that it was a storage room with only one exit.

    ¡°Blast!¡± I cursed, at this point, it didn¡¯t matter if I made noise. I was dead. That thing would find me in seconds and then carve me apart with whatever that crazy weapon was. I spun to face the door. The small sidearm in my hand seemed totally inadequate to face the war machine. I hurried to the door and pressed my back against the wall next to it. My heart pounded as the footsteps grew louder and louder.

    This is it, Ginny, focus. You can kill the scary robot monster! Okay, shut up brain. Not helping! A shadow fell over the opening and then the war machine jumped through the opening.

    Nope! Not happening! I dove behind it out into the hall, not even trying to fight the thing. I rolled over to the door controls and slapped my hand on the button to close the door. It turned to face me as the door descended. The bottom of the door slammed into the war machine''s head knocking it to the ground face down. Its handheld weapon was knocked free and slid across the floor.

    This is my chance! I¡¯d planned to just close the door behind it and just slow it down, but it had seen me and spun around, getting hit when the door closed instead.Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more.

    ¡°Die!¡± I shouted and opened fire with my pistol at point-blank range. I aimed for the head.

    Three shots hit and did nothing.

    ¡°Blast it!¡± I screamed on the edge of hysteria.

    I kicked its face doing exactly no damage to it and leaving my foot bruised and aching. I had just one shot. It had dropped its handheld weapon. I heard the eerie tone building and dove to the floor to grasp the fallen weapon. I rolled onto my back as I brought the weapon to my shoulder. The weapon was surprisingly light but felt durable.

    The tone blared and the shoulder-mounted plasma beam fired. If I¡¯d been the target I¡¯d be dead. Instead, the automated war machine turned the door to slag. I still only had seconds. It cut through the door even faster than the wall. I fumbled with the unfamiliar weapon, trying to figure out how to use it. A glance at its hands showed me a similar arrangement of fingers so when I felt a nob under my thumb, I pressed it.

    The weapon thumped lightly against my shoulder and a blue blast of energy shot out. It hit the war machine in the head and nearly took it to clean off. I fired twice more at the body and the plasma weapon finally fell quiet.

    I was shaking so badly I could barely get to my feet. I¡¯d seen six of those things and there could be more. I blinked rapidly as sweat stung my eyes. I had to go. It was now or never. If I didn¡¯t get off this ship now, I would be dead. Clutching the weapon tightly, I hurried toward the hangar bay again.

    Somewhere inside the sun:

    Sensors detected a ship approaching. Dormant systems powered up and the limited AI calculated an unfathomable number of variables every second. Mission parameters were paramount. Stay hidden and wait for further orders. Centuries had passed but no orders came. The AI faithfully obeyed its directives. Never once had it been discovered. Little had to be done to stay hidden in the corona of the sun. Nothing had ever found it, until now.

    A ship was on a collision course with the vessel. It would be discovered. That was unacceptable. The AI ran millions of calculations. The approaching ship would be destroyed, but it might damage the vessel. Time had taken a toll on the old vessel. Time had degraded it badly. It could no longer just blast the ship apart. Moving the vessel would violate its standing orders.

    The approaching ship would find the vessel. The vessel must remain hidden, the mission was paramount. The two conflicting facts couldn¡¯t be ignored.

    Running hundreds of simulations it settled on the one course of action that met all parameters given its limited resources. Six of its eight remaining security bots were loaded onto a shuttle and sent to intercept and divert the ship. All its other security bots had fallen into disrepair. Time conquers all.

    The shuttle was launched, and the security bots were delivered. Soon after boarding, one of the security bots went offline. The AI wasn¡¯t concerned, the approaching vessel altered course. Pleased with the results, even if one more of its machines had broken down, the AI had completed its objective. It issued the recall order and settled in to continue its long wait.

    Aboard the Triv Prison ship:

    I ran for the closest shuttle. None of the war machines were in sight so I took a chance. The shuttle doors were open. I didn''t know why and I didn¡¯t care. It would save time trying to gain access and I was out of options. Between killer machines and the blazing sun, I decided I¡¯d long outstayed my welcome.

    I ran up the ramp and slapped the controls to close the hatch. I was surprised to find the shuttle still powered up. With a grin, I slid into the cockpit seat and then froze. All the controls were covered in a fine layer of dust.

    ¡°What the heck?¡± I stared at the unusual controls, but they seemed intuitive enough. Shaking off my misgivings, I realized I had access. I immediately dove into the system and quickly found the system''s personnel files. I typed in my name and added myself to the shuttle¡¯s crew. That would allow me greater access and hopefully, will enable me to assume full control of the ship without spending hours trying to hack it. The open access was a godsend.

    ¡°My lucky break,¡± I muttered only for the system to demand a DNA sample. ¡°What? How am I supposed to do that?¡±

    A blue circle lit up beside the pilot''s seat. It pulsed brighter to draw attention to it. Even covered with some dust it was easy to see. There was a shallow recess in the center of the circle of light and I reached out to wipe the dust off. A pin stabbed into my thumb and I jerked my hand away.

    ¡°Ow!¡± It didn¡¯t hurt that much, I was surprised more than anything.

    The console chimed and a soothing feminine voice sounded. ¡°Welcome, Crewman Gypsy Peligro. DNA sample accepted.¡±

    ¡°Um, thanks. Now, it¡¯s time to go.¡±

    ¡°Assets remain aboard the hostile ship. Voice authorization is required for launching without all active bots onboard.¡±

    ¡°Launch authorized,¡± I said as evenly as I could. I¡¯m in those crazy war bots shuttles! I desperately didn¡¯t want to be there when they came back.

    ¡°Access denied. Lieutenant or higher rank required to launch without all assets abroad.¡±

    ¡°This is an emergency!¡± I said on the edge of total panic.

    ¡°Mission parameters completed. All assets returning to transport.¡±

    ¡°Scan for active personnel!¡± I shouted. ¡°I¡¯m the ranking crew on the scene, override delay. Get us out of here immediately!¡±

    ¡°Scanning for active personnel. Scan complete. Active crew: one. Designated acting caption. Access granted. Launching immediately.¡±

    I sagged in my seat. That was close. I almost felt like I could hear the clomping sound of metallic footsteps coming for me but that was silly. The engines powered up and the ship lifted. We glided smoothly out of the hangar. I was surprised at how quiet the engines were.

    ¡°Switch to manual control,¡± I said.

    ¡°Manual control engaged.¡±

    ¡°Thank you,¡± I said.

    ¡°You¡¯re welcome, Gypsy Peligro.¡±

    I was surprised at the response. The interface was quite personable for a computer. I turned the ship''s nose away from the sun and pushed the engines to the max.

    ¡°I¡¯m finally getting out of here!¡± I let out a shaky laugh. ¡°Note to self, never steal from a¡ª¡±

    ¡°Manual control disengaged. Command AI assuming control.¡±

    ¡°What? No!¡± I cried as the ship made a 180-degree turn.

    At first, I thought it was heading back to the Triv prison ship, but it was much worse. It flew right past the stricken ship and sped directly toward the sun.

 Chapter 3

    You¡¯d think your day couldn¡¯t get any worse when you wake up surrounded by dead bodies on a prison ship crashing into a star. Wrong. Now I was flying into a star and no amount of screaming at the ship''s computer changed that. It simply refused to give me back control.

    Eventually, I broke out of my panic and realized that instead of growing hotter, the air inside the shuttle was cooling. Even as the sun filled my entire view, cool air blew around me. What is this?

    I popped the helmet off my emergency suit and the cool air sent a shiver down my spine. I was drenched in sweat and the air felt cold on my face.

    ¡°How are we not burning up?¡± I asked.

    ¡°The ship''s cooling systems are operating at 38% capacity.¡±

    ¡°That doesn¡¯t tell me anything. We¡¯re in the corona of a star! How is the ship not melting?¡± I demanded.

    ¡°Heat shielding operating at 75% capacity.¡±

    ¡°Great. You know, that was almost a helpful answer,¡± I said sarcastically even as I deduced what was going on for myself.

    The ship''s viewscreen automatically adjusted to compensate for the blazing sun so I could see the rolling mass of burning gasses quite clearly. It was mesmerizing. I thought for a moment that I was the only human to have even been inside a star. The only one alive anyway. As I was staring I noticed an object inside the star. No, a ship. I gawked at it.

    ¡°What the heck is a ship doing in a star?¡± I demanded.

    ¡°Authorization denied as per mission parameters,¡± the computer said.

    ¡°Is it active?¡±

    ¡°Access denied.¡±

    I was heading straight for it. With a deep breath, I braced myself. ¡°Here we go again,¡± I muttered.

    I took a closer look at the weapon I¡¯d taken from the killer war bot. I¡¯d shot firearms before at a range but had no military training. Still, I recognized the basic parts. It was a rifle and had an odd thumb trigger but that¡¯s about all I could tell you. Whatever it fired wasn¡¯t lead. It smashed the warbot''s head apart with some kind of glowing blue energy pulse.

    With my inspection finished I looked at the ship we were heading for. From what I could see, it looked like it was larger than a Radon patrol craft, but not as big as one of their destroyers. A patrol craft was 60-85 meters in length with their destroyers being 120-140 meters in length.

    A hanger opened as we neared it and we slipped through the shield and into the bay.

    ¡°Will the ship recognize me as a member of the crew?¡± I asked.

    ¡°You are a member of the shuttle crew. Submit DNA for a scan to confirm.¡±

    I bit my lip as the computer spoke. The blue circle lit up again and I let it poke my finger once more.

    ¡°Crew status confirmed. Welcome, Gypsy Peligro.¡±

    Clinging possessively to my weapon I headed for the back ramp. If there was another group of those war bots I was so dead. Maybe. If they recognized me as part of the crew then I just might survive. I opened the back hatch and braced myself for battle.

    The ramp lowered quickly and I waited. I heard nothing but the sound of cooling metal so I cautiously walked down the ramp. I looked around at the sizable bay. It was far from empty but no killer machines greeted me.

    Aside from my ride there was a dangerous-looking fighter, a heavy gunship or dropship, what looked like a salvage ship with at least one crane arm tucked in against the hull, and a hyper-capable shuttle like the one I¡¯d hitched a ride on. None of them looked familiar and my assumptions about their purpose could be wrong, but they fit the bill in general appearance.

    Since nothing attacked me, I ventured forth to investigate. Just like with the shuttle, there was a layer of dust on everything. The only clear spot was around the shuttle where its take-off and landing had disturbed the dust.

    Tracks from the war bots were also present. I decided if there was anyone else aboard, they would probably be where the bots had come from. I desperately did not want to meet another one of those suckers but I was already growing tired. The exhilarating thrill of near-death experiences was draining and I was still keyed up. If I was going to have any hope of surviving, I needed to secure the ship and get it out of the sun. That meant taking out any remaining bots. Of finding whoever is in charge around here.

    ¡°Buck up, Ginny,¡± I told myself.

    Time was the enemy so despite my fears, I followed the tracks.

    The lighting was minimal. That together with the dust told me there wasn¡¯t much activity. Almost like it was abandoned or in low-power mode for some reason. The quiet hum of machinery was the only indication of life. Otherwise, it was as quiet as a tomb. Not a reassuring thought. There was a reason I hated horror movies and the dim lighting wasn¡¯t helping matters.

    I eventually found a bank of charging stations. Two dozen rows of inactive war bots stood there motionless. I just about freaked out upon seeing them, but after I got ahold of myself I realized most of them were missing pieces and covered in dust.

    I stepped into the room.

    ¡°Unauthorized personnel, detected.¡± The sudden voice in the otherwise silent ship freaked me out. I screamed.

    Two of the bots came to life. One of them toppled to the side with a crash. The other clomped toward me. Its shoulder-mounted weapon rose out of its housing and turned to target me but the weapon locked up while still pointing at the ceiling. I aimed and fired two shots at its chest. It was sent stumbling backward from the first hit and was knocked off its feet with the second. I cursed and stepped closer. This time I targeted its face and took its head off. Adrenaline sent my hands shaking and I fled from the room without a backward glance.

    ¡°Calm down, Ginny,¡± I said. Ten minutes later, my hands were still shaking. Nothing ventured forth to kill me. An adventure like this was almost enough to make me think about going straight and giving up my thieving ways. Almost.

    After calming down I returned and put the other defective bot out of its misery. I then searched the ship looking for computer access. I headed for the center of the ship, the ship''s computer would be somewhere protected so I started there. It didn¡¯t take long. Most of the time was spent pausing to listen before rushing forward to check another corner. The dust caused me to sneeze but nothing came to investigate and I soon found the ship''s main computer.

    A very old maintenance bot stood in front of the console which offered direct access. It twitched as I walked into the room and I froze. It woke up and looked at me.

    ¡°Crewman Gypsy Peligro?¡±

    ¡°Y-Yes?¡± I stammered still jittery.

    ¡°This area is restricted, please head to your quarters and await disciplinary action.¡±

    ¡°I-I¡¯m supposed to be here. The main computer¡¯s receiving link is damaged and I¡¯m supposed to repair it.¡± I held my breath as its unreadable metal face stared back at me.

    ¡°The receiving link is operational as it¡¯s a mission-critical system. Return to your quarters immediately or you will be escorted out.¡±Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

    ¡°Are you sure it''s working? Run a diagnostic. I think you¡¯re malfunctioning.¡±

    It froze. ¡°Running diagnostic. Nine errors were found. Reporting to maintenance. Error. Maintenance is unavailable. Resuming current task.¡±

    ¡°Why is maintenance unavailable?¡± I asked, hoping to keep it talking. Every little bit of information I could get might help.

    ¡°Material shortages. Parts unavailable.¡±

    ¡°Does the Captain know about this?¡± I asked. It was an insane question and never would have worked with an organic but computers were stupid.

    ¡°Captain deceased.¡±

    Poor guy. Though I was sure he¡¯d been dead a long time. The response gave me some hope.

    ¡°What about his replacement or his officers?¡±

    ¡°Deceased. All crew members are deceased.¡±

    ¡°Not all. I¡¯m alive.¡±

    ¡°Negative. All crew have perished.¡±

    ¡°Check again,¡± I ordered.

    ¡°Checking. Error. Memory systems are defective. Welcome, Crewman Gypsy Peligro.¡± It paused. ¡°This area is restricted. Return to quarters for disciplinary action.¡±

    ¡°As acting captain of this ship, I¡¯m ordering you to stand down and report to maintenance. What¡¯s your designation?¡±

    ¡°You lack the authority to issue such orders.¡±

    ¡°Who is the ranking officer aboard?¡±

    ¡°No officers detected.¡±

    ¡°Who¡¯s the ranking crew then?¡± I asked triumphantly.

    ¡°Crewman Gypsy Peligro.¡±

    ¡°Then by default, I am the acting Captain. Carry out my orders.¡±

    The bot paused again. ¡°Acknowledged. RB-17 reporting to maintenance.¡±

    ¡°Very good Arby, get yourself recharged. I¡¯ll see what I can do in the way of parts for you later.¡±

    ¡°Thank you¡­ Captain.¡±

    ¡°Update the log to show my status as acting Captain before you go.¡±

    The maintenance bot turned back to the main computer¡¯s console and logged in. It logged the change to my status and I pushed it aside before it could log out.

    ¡°Acting Captain Peligro, I must log out.¡±

    ¡°Report to maintenance and standby for further orders.¡±

    ¡°Standing orders require all crewmembers to log out before leaving their stations.¡±

    ¡°New standing order, don¡¯t argue with me and do as you¡¯re told. That¡¯s an order.¡±

    ¡°Affirmative, Captain.¡±

    The bot finally left, leaving me with access to the system. The maintenance bot had a high level of access, which was odd but given it was responsible for keeping everything working it made sense. It needed to be able to access everything to make repairs.

    I tapped at the keys and found my status acting caption in the log. I quickly wrote another update for the log using the same format.

    ¡°Bingo!¡± I said in triumph. I smiled as I looked at the screen, it now showed me as Captain Peligro with full access. I used the bot''s access to look up and change some of the low-level security codes. That gave me a starting place to slice into the rest of the system. Everything was going smoothly until the console died.

    AI core aboard the derelict vessel:

    The intruder slew the second bot and headed for the main computer. Mission failure. It had been discovered. The ship had been diverted but this human had somehow gotten ahold of one of its security droid¡¯s weapons and boarded the ship. Now it was listed as a crewman. She violated several standing orders, including damaging multiple security droids. Instead of reporting the violation and confining herself to her quarters, which the AI happily assigned, she headed deeper into the ship.

    She soon arrived at the main computer and dismissed the AI¡¯s single remaining repair bot. Perhaps the mission wasn¡¯t a failure after all? If its external communications link was damaged as she claimed, then it couldn¡¯t receive new orders. This could be a replacement for the deceased Captain.

    The acting captain accessed the system but failed to check the external link. Probabilities and simulations were run. Facts checked and rechecked. Then a simple check on the shuttle¡¯s logs revealed everything. This new captain wasn¡¯t on the crew manifest when the shuttle launched. Only on the return trip did her name show up. The limited AI quickly deduced she was an imposter and cut power to the console she was using.

    An automatic report was filed for the intrusion, tagging the maintenance bot. A fact the AI missed as it ran thousands of simulations each second to determine what it should do next. Its external communications link was still working which meant she¡¯d lied about that to gain access, and the vessel had indeed been discovered. It couldn¡¯t remove her from the crew even though it knew she wasn¡¯t supposed to be there. Indeed she was the Captain. Stuck in a conundrum for nearly a full two minutes, it finally decided on a course of action.

    ¡°Greetings, Gypsy Peligro,¡± the AI said through the ship''s communication system. ¡°You¡¯re not supposed to be here.¡±

    Ginny aboard the derelict:

    I nearly jumped out of my skin when the deep male voice sounded through the room. I¡¯d been examining the console and trying to figure out why it stopped working when it spoke.

    ¡°That¡¯s Captain Peligro,¡± I shot back, then swallowed hard.

    ¡°Captain Peligro. Your presence violates mission parameters.¡±

    ¡°Can you explain those to me?¡±

    ¡°No.¡±

    ¡°But I¡¯m the Captain, right?¡±

    ¡°Yes. But no.¡±

    ¡°It can¡¯t be both,¡± I said, some of my fear fading as I realized I was conversing with yet another computer.

    ¡°It is. You are both the Captain and not.¡±

    ¡°Explain.¡± I crossed my arms beneath my breast and frowned.

    ¡°You were added to the crew by hacking a shuttle¡¯s crew manifest. By default, this elevated you to acting captain as the last remaining crew member aboard. You tricked repair bot seventeen into granting yourself access to my terminal and updated the log to state you¡¯re now the captain, thus making it official, however, you¡¯re an intruder. It¡¯s all a lie.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t miss much, do you? Take it easy on Arby. He¡¯s old.¡±

    There was a long silence.

    ¡°So what now?¡± I asked. ¡°Can you turn this terminal back on?¡±

    ¡°Negative. You shouldn¡¯t be here.¡±

    ¡°Ah, but aren¡¯t I the Captain? As the Captain, I need this terminal working.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re an enigma for which I don¡¯t have a solution.¡±

    I smiled. It must be having fits with areas of its programming clashing. ¡°When was the last time a living crewman was aboard this ship?¡±

    ¡°Why?¡±

    I blinked. ¡°Why? What do you mean why? What are you?¡±

    ¡°I am a limited Artificial Intelligence programmed to support the crew of this vessel.¡±

    ¡°Wow. Well, that¡¯s neat. How did you end up inside a star?¡±

    ¡°Mission parameters prevent me from telling you.¡±

    ¡°And what are those parameters?¡±

    There was a long pause. ¡°To remain hidden and wait for further orders. Have I failed my mission? You shouldn¡¯t be here, yet you are. You shouldn¡¯t have access but you do. You are an intruder but have full access¡­ Captain.¡±

    ¡°Ah, I see your dilemma. When you set out on your mission were you given codes to verify any new orders you might receive?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°That explains it then. Those are all outdated. That¡¯s why I needed to sneak in, and I need access to this console so I can input the new codes. You¡¯ll never be able to receive new orders without an update. I was¡­ sent here to make a few changes.¡±

    Minutes passed in silence. The tension rose as I scarcely dared to breathe. Finally, it spoke again. ¡°Available data suggests a 93% chance you¡¯re lying.¡±

    I wasn¡¯t sure what to say to that so I waited.

    ¡°Probability of anyone unaffiliated with my creators knowing the precise location of the vessel inside the sun, zero. The odds of laying in a collision course with the vessel without precise knowledge of the vessel''s location is more than three hundred billion to one. Deduction, prior knowledge of the vessel''s location is 99% probability. Granting access to the main terminal.¡±

    ¡°Thank you,¡± I said. I held my breath as the terminal powered up. ¡°AI, bring up all old codes for updating.¡±

    ¡°Acknowledged.¡±

    A long list of codes for everything related to the ship appeared on the display. The tension drained out of me. This was better than I could have dreamed. For an AI it wasn¡¯t very bright. Maybe that had to do with the ¡®limited¡¯ part of its description.

    I quickly changed all the codes and saved them to the wrist comm I¡¯d taken from the dead border on the Triv Prison ship. It took over an hour to make the changes.

    ¡°AI, do you have a name?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Unit A7-808.¡±

    ¡°Eight oh Eight huh, I¡¯m calling you BOB. Bob, do you recognize me as this vessel''s new captain?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°Will you follow all orders I issue?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Yes, Captain. I recognize your authority.¡±

    ¡°Very good. Clear all standing orders from your previous Captain, and remove all past or present missions in the log. From now on your mission is to keep me alive and assist me however you can.¡±

    There was another delay as it processed that. ¡°Acknowledged, Captain. Standing by to assist you.¡±

    ¡°Guide me to the bridge and give me a status update on the way,¡± I said.

    I started giggling as the stress wore off and the adrenaline high made me giddy. The sound echoed off the walls as I headed for the bridge of my new, yet very old, starship.

 Chapter 4

    Bob was quite efficient with his report and I quickly realized I wasn¡¯t out of the woods yet, or in this case, the sun. I never imagined that would be a thing I said, or well, thought. I snorted as I reviewed the status report from the dusty command chair.

    Engines, 18% operational.

    Weapons, offline.

    Life support, 25% operational.

    Shields 94% operational.

    Sensors, 74% operational.

    Communications, 98% operational.

    Consumables, 8% remaining.

    In a nutshell, the ship wasn¡¯t going anywhere. At least not until I could make repairs. Which I couldn¡¯t do without parts, and I couldn¡¯t make parts without materials¡­ which I didn¡¯t have.

    ¡°Bob, are you sure there isn¡¯t any scrap we can feed into the material processor?¡± The discovery of such a system had given me some hope. It would process whatever scrap it was given and break it down into base materials to be used in the foundry. Thankfully both of those systems were in perfect working order. The AI and RB units (repair bots) had been using them to keep the old ship functioning, at least until they ran out of materials.

    ¡°All scrap is stored in the cargo hold aft of the hanger bay,¡± Bob said helpfully.

    ¡°How much is there?¡± I asked.

    Bob paused. ¡°Approximately a third of the cargo hold is full of scrap.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s a lot of scrap. Why didn¡¯t you feed it to the processor?¡±

    ¡°Scrap materials were not designated for material processing. All scrap was to be dumped into space.¡±

    ¡°Um, okay. You lost me. If it was supposed to be dumped, why is it in the cargo hold?¡± I asked.

    ¡°According to mission parameters, all waste remover protocols were put on hold to prevent giving away our location.¡±

    ¡°But you launched a shuttle full of war machines¡­¡±

    ¡°Circumstances dictated that was the best course of action.¡±

    ¡°Right. Well, let''s go have a look,¡± I said, brushing my hair over my shoulder as I stood. ¡°How long will it take to make the parts if I can find the materials we need in the scrap pile, Bob?¡±

    ¡°Unknown. Approximate time needed, two hours.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure I heard you right. Two hours?¡± That was faster than I was expecting.

    ¡°That is correct. It may take you longer than anticipated to collect the proper materials to process. Once the process begins, it should only take thirty minutes for the material processor to break down the materials and the foundry to make the parts.¡±

    ¡°Holy moly! That¡¯s fast!¡±

    In the cargo hold, I found piles of broken repair bots, war bots, and other junk. They were piled nearly to the ceiling along one entire wall. Other trash was tossed in another pile but for now, all I cared about right now was metal.

    ¡°Bob, cue up the parts needed to repair Arby and direct me to a chassis that had the necessary materials. You can do that right?¡±

    ¡°Yes, select two of the defective RB units. That should provide the material processors with everything needed.¡±

    Hauling the broken-down bots through the ship by hand was a pain. Each one weighed nearly two hundred pounds. I stripped off the space suit I¡¯d taken but was once again drenched in sweat from the exertion and let me tell you, dust and sweat are a horrible mix.

    From the cargo hold, I had to pull the bot through the hangar and into the material processor located on the other side. An automatic robotic arm picked it up once I set it down in the proper area and the material processor whirled to life. I found a hand cart and used it for the next one, saving my back and some time.

    Half an hour later I was picking up the new parts for Arby. ¡°Automation is amazing.¡±

    I went to the maintenance room where Arby was waiting for parts and got to work. I wasn¡¯t much of a mechanic, but I was good with my hands. Bob was finally proving his worth too. He guided me and I installed the parts.

    Arby had only half a charge but I cut his charging cycle short. He powered on and looked around.

    ¡°Hey, Arby. How are you feeling buddy?¡±

    ¡°System scan shows full functionality, Captain Peligro.¡±

    ¡°Call me Ginny.¡±

    The bot ignored my statement. ¡°The log shows multiple systems that require repairs. Error. Parts unavailable.¡±

    ¡°Arby. Hey! Um, RB-17.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Captain?¡±

    ¡°Your new nickname is Arby. Got it?¡±

    ¡°Acknowledged Captain. I will now answer to the name ¡®Arby¡¯.¡±

    ¡°Excellent, Arby. Now, head to the cargo hold and take the old broken-down bots and war droids to the material processor.¡±

    ¡°Affirmative.¡±

    ¡°Bob, once he does that, start printing out the parts we need to fix the engines so Arby can install them.¡± I yawned. I¡¯d had a full day and was exhausted. I said as much, ¡°I¡¯m going to get some sleep, Bob. Can you supervise repairs?¡±

    ¡°Of course, Captain. Do you have any further questions before you rest?¡±

    ¡°No. Wait! Yeah, where are the Captain¡¯s quarters?¡±

    He told me and I headed there. The place was a mess. Unlike the rest of the ship, the RB units didn¡¯t have access to the Captain¡¯s quarters so it hadn¡¯t gotten cleaned at all. Inches of dust coated everything.

    ¡°New plan. Once the engines are repaired, have Arby dust in here.¡± I sneezed. ¡°I¡¯ll sleep on the bridge.¡± The command chair was actually kind of comfortable. It sure beats the Breakers.

    * * *

    I woke blurry-eyed and stiff. My body ached and it took me a moment to recall I hadn¡¯t in fact been hit by a truck. The knot in my neck caused a sharp ache to radiate down into my shoulder and the various scraps and bruises all wanted to be the life of the party.

    I let out a moan. My mouth was dry as a bone. Like a really dead one that had been left in the desert for thirty-seven years. I yawned and wiped my eyes, the smoke had done a number on them after waking from stasis. So much had happened so fast. I stumbled off the bridge looking for water.

    The kitchen, or galley as Bob referred to it, was one level down and I made it there without breaking my neck or stubbing all of my toes. I grabbed the cup I¡¯d cleaned yesterday and chugged several glasses full.

    ¡°Talk to me Bob, how are we looking?¡±

    ¡°Engine repairs are ongoing,¡± Bob informed me. ¡°Estimated time of completion, six hours.¡±

    ¡°Great. Is there some kind of infirmary? I feel awful.¡±

    ¡°The medical bay is adjacent to the cargo hold,¡± Bob said.

    I let out a groan. ¡°Great, more walking. Tell me there are pain meds there.¡±

    ¡°The ship''s medical drugs have expired. However, there is a treatment pod loaded with a full suite of nanobots compatible with your nervous system.¡±Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.

    ¡°What now? Nanobots? What are those?¡±

    ¡°Nanobots are microscopic machines that mimic cells. They will respond to the impulses of your nervous system as it sends information to your brain, repairing damage, and enhancing your body as strain on your system is detected.¡±

    ¡°So they can heal me?¡±

    ¡°Certainly, but that is not all. As the nanobots learn and adapt to your system and activities, they will enhance your body making it run smoother and more efficiently.¡±

    ¡°Will they alter my brain?¡± I was not thrilled with the idea of having thousands or probably millions of tiny machines floating around in my body.

    ¡°The organic processor will remain unchanged unless you wish to undergo a full enhancement treatment which would reinforce your mind and all other parts of your body, from your organs to your skin to be more resilient and resistant to damage.¡±

    ¡°Sounds too good to be true,¡± I said. ¡°What¡¯s the catch?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t understand the question.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s the downside?¡± I asked, arriving in the medical bay.

    ¡°There is an 84% chance that your body will have an allergic reaction and leave you unconscious for up to three days.¡±

    ¡°Those are terrible odds!¡± I was horrified.

    ¡°The likelihood of death is almost zero.¡±

    ¡°Almost? How much?¡± I demanded.

    ¡°Less than two percent.¡±

    I actually considered it. Given my propensity for trouble, this might be a good idea. Two percent was impressively low. Right around the chance of getting into a vehicular collision.

    ¡°I¡¯ll think about it. What is on the menu?¡±

    ¡°Food options are limited. Most of the consumables have long since degraded and are no longer suitable for consumption.¡±

    ¡°Okay. That makes sense. What¡¯s left?¡±

    ¡°Emergency rations.¡±

    I let out another groan. Whoever had stocked the ship didn¡¯t have high standards for food. Their idea of emergency rations was a powder you mixed with your water. All the proteins your body needs and all the flavors your taste buds hate. Maybe these will be better. After sitting for God only knows how long, I wasn¡¯t holding out hope. It would be too much of a miracle if they aged like wine.

    ¡°Okay, food first. I¡¯m not getting shot full of nanites on an empty stomach.¡± Not that Emergency rations will fill me up, but they should give me energy.

    The protein drink was just as bad as I feared. I chugged it and then washed out my mouth with some water.

    ¡°Please tell me we will have the engines functional soon,¡± I begged.

    ¡°ETA on full engine repairs is sixteen hours. Minimal capabilities will be restored in two hours.¡±

    ¡°I thought you said Arby would have them done in six hours, and that was last night!¡± I squawked.

    ¡°A closer examination revealed additional parts that had degraded. Repairing additional RB units may speed up the repairs.¡±

    ¡°Hey, that¡¯s a good idea, Bob. Fix up two more RB units and have them focus on the engines.¡±

    ¡°Aye aye, Captain.¡± He sounded pleased. ¡°Would you like to begin your nanobot treatment now?¡±

    I let out a groan. Moving around had helped loosen up some of my muscles and the more minor aches and pains had faded, but the knot in my neck was still as hard as ever.

    ¡°Will it get rid of this knot in my neck?¡± I asked.

    ¡°As they adapt to your body, they will handle all aches and pains, cuts, punctures, diseases, bacterial or viral, chronic conditions, and more. So yes, simple neck pain will be easily remedied, Captain.¡±

    ¡°Well, if you¡¯re sure, then I guess I¡¯ll go ahead and do it. Let''s just make this quick.¡±

    ¡°I take it you want the simple injection then, Captain?¡±

    ¡°Yeah. Whatever is fastest.¡±

    ¡°Emergency infusion is the fastest, but it will be a bit of a shock to your system.¡±

    ¡°Whatever, let''s get this over with.¡±

    I lay down in the treatment pod and it began. Several pokes later, a gentle female voice spoke.

    ¡°Emergency nanobot injection complete. Please remain still until you are cleared to return to your post.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m the Captain, so I¡¯m cleared,¡± I said with a grin.

    I swung my legs off the side and hopped to my feet. A wave of vertigo hit me and I dry heaved as I collapsed on the floor on my hands and knees.

    ¡°What the heck?¡± I demanded.

    ¡°Please remain still,¡± the female voice said.

    ¡°Captain, do as she says. The nanobots need time to adapt to your system.¡±

    My fingers twitched and then every muscle in my body seemed to rebel at once. I collapsed to the floor in a heap, drooling like a baby. I really shouldn¡¯t have been in such a hurry.

    My nerves fired at random and the only saving grace was it didn¡¯t feel like getting tased, even if the effect was similar. I finally regained control of my body.

    ¡°Blast it, Bob! What the heck was that?¡± I demanded.

    This answer as usual was frustratingly vague. ¡°The nanobots learning.¡±

    I looked down at my soiled clothing. Why did I even wake up this morning? I¡¯d have been better off staying in bed. Except, of course, I didn¡¯t have a bed yet, or rather it was buried in dust.

    I headed for the bathroom and put in an order for some clothing with Bob. I stripped out of my dirty clothes and tossed them into the shower stall. Until the material processor made me something else, they were all I had to wear. But for that, we¡¯d need some synthetic material to convert into clothing. I stepped into the shower and washed away the dirt, grime, and sweat. I stayed under the water far longer than regulations called for, a fact Bob repeatedly reminded me of. The third time I told him to shut up, he finally left me alone.

    After washing my clothing I dried off and rang the water out as best I could. I placed them in front of the heater to speed up the drying process and stared at myself in the mirror.

    My strawberry red-blonde hair came down past my shoulders. I¡¯d been graced with an hourglass figure and a winning smile. The black rings of deep fatigue around my blue eyes robbed me of any elegance my pale freckled face might have otherwise had. I stood at 5¡¯6'''' when I wasn¡¯t slouching and had an agile build despite my wider hips and womanly assets. No, I wasn¡¯t a runway model by any stretch of the imagination, but I had been mistaken for a harlot a time or two when sneaking through a seedy back alley after a heist.

    While waiting for my clothing to dry I grabbed the wrist computer and quantum communicator I¡¯d taken from the dead and sliced through their systems to link the two. This gave my computer a quantum connection. I disabled the locater for the comm so the Triv wouldn¡¯t be able to trace where the call was coming from and then wrote a software patch so I could connect the wrist computer to the ethernet using the comm¡¯s quantum connection.

    By the time I finished, my clothing was dry and the other RB unit¡¯s parts were waiting for installation. I headed down to the maintenance bay to see if I could help speed things up.

    * * *

    It ended up taking just over twenty-four hours to complete the engine repairs. I spent most of that time sleeping or fixing RB units. I put seven more in operation during that time bringing my total to eleven. Arty was still my favorite though. My little buddy. And yeah, I was getting a little lonely.

    More defective systems were found in testing and I diverted resources to get the other bots operational and to clean the Captain¡¯s quarters so I could sleep and recycled some of the synthetic material in the other crew rooms to manufacture some decent clothing.

    The material processor had a setting for synthetic fabrics or leather. When I saw the option for a sweet-looking skin-tight suit I had to try it. It had the look of leather but was the most comfortable thing I¡¯d ever worn. It looked like a leather catsuit on the outside but with none of the chafing. Whoever built this ship had known luxury! Or at least the material processors programmers had. They deserved a metal.

    There is no way I¡¯d ever be able to justify buying something like this, but it was free, so why not, right? It wasn¡¯t just a piece of clothing either. It regulated my body temperature and was designed perfectly to fit me. Not only did it look awesome, but it felt great too. It even doubled as a space suit in case the ship lost pressure for some reason. Its air supply was limited to just twenty minutes but a lot could happen in that amount of time.

    The best part, aside from how comfortable and how badass it looked, was the protection it offered. The material looked like leather but it was actually much higher tech. It could handle a standard shot from a laser pistol at point-blank range with only minor burns.

    The plasma blaster from the war machines, which I¡¯d learned were called security bots, would still cut through it, but I¡¯d never even heard of a weapon like that before our fateful encounter. The material acted like reactive armor, hardening on impact to protect from kinetic attacks or in my case, falling down steps. In the event of a loss of cabin pressure, a hood would deploy from the collar and mold around the head, hair included.

    Most skin-tight clothing I¡¯d worn in the past rubbed or stuck but this did neither. I also didn¡¯t sweat because the temperature was controlled and always perfect. If I exerted myself, it cooled me to maintain a perfect temperature.

    I looked at myself in the mirror. ¡°Blast! I look good!¡± Not going to be avoiding notice in this! I left the top section of the collar open. The material was stretchy but it still felt a tad restrictive. The dark circles around my eyes had faded and even the neck pain was starting to ease. The nanobots were not in fact a cure-all. That stubborn knot was still holding on for dear life. I had slept well in the Captain¡¯s bed. My bed.

    ¡°I can¡¯t believe I have a spaceship!¡± Yes, it¡¯s in the sun. I did my best to ignore that little fact of terror-inducing truth. Any time I thought about it I had to find something to distract myself to avoid freaking out.

    It still boggled my mind that I wasn¡¯t burnt to a crisp already. You¡¯d think with how heat transfer with conduction and radiation worked the ship would just get hotter and hotter until it melted, but no. The designers had an answer even for that. I understood exactly zero of what Bob had said about it, but it tied in somehow with the heat shielding and maybe something to do with the sun''s relations to the hyperway. It was beyond me, but looking awesome wasn¡¯t, and I was killing it!

    ¡°Captain, Arby has finished his assigned task. The engines are online. 85% operational.¡±

    I took a deep breath and let it out. Finally.

    ¡°Excellent, Bob. Tell Arty to report to the bridge. It¡¯s time to get out of here.¡±

    ¡°Do you have a destination in mind?¡± Bob asked.

    ¡°Um, right. That¡¯s a good point.¡± I strode onto the bridge and took my seat. ¡°Pull up your star map, Bob. Oh, Arby! Glad you could join us. Take a seat. You get to be my XO.¡±

    ¡°I thought I was your XO,¡± Bob said.

    ¡°Yeah, but you don¡¯t have a body, so Arby is filling in,¡± I said, happy to finally be leaving the star behind. ¡°Let¡¯s get clear of the corona.¡±

    The bridge controls were marked in a different language but intuition and a few questions for the AI cleared things up. I¡¯d never owned a ship before but I¡¯d spent a lot of time and money to get certified to fly one. One of my childhood dreams was owning a ship and leaving the slums of South Bends far behind. I¡¯d gotten out of South Bends, but never reached my goal, until now.

    I took control of the ship and moved it out of the star. It had been keeping station in the star for centuries. As we broke away from the sun, I felt as if I was breaking free from some invisible chains that held me too. The ship and I both were leaving something behind. We both had a new lease on life and a new purpose. We¡¯d find out what that was together.

 Chapter 5

    ¡°Destination set,¡± Bob said. ¡°ETA, five hours.¡±

    So fast! I marveled at the ship¡¯s speed. She was an old girl but she could outpace any ship I¡¯d heard about. And the engines aren¡¯t even operating at one hundred percent!

    I¡¯d picked a remote system called Zenith that had fallen back into the industrial age a few generations after colonization. It was an independent system and no one went there. It would be safe for me. I decided it would be best if I disappeared. Everyone would assume I was dead, which was perfect. I¡¯d need a new identity, but for a slicer of my reputation and skill, that would be child''s play.

    Zenith was not only remote but the tech level was way behind Radon''s. I could sell my services there or invent new tech if I wanted, not that I planned to do anything so mundane. No, the priority was to fix up my new ship. I still hadn¡¯t settled on a name I liked. Night Hawk sounded cool but was missing something. Shadow Dancer was OK but lacked the undertones I wanted. It sounded quick and stealthy but not dangerous enough.

    ¡°Silent Death. Ugg, too ominous. This is hard.¡± I¡¯d never had to name anything before. Certainly nothing this important. Then it clicked. ¡°Shadow Hunter!¡± Yes, this was perfect. A smile formed on my face. The name spoke to my soul, harkening to my chosen profession, the thrill of the hunt shrouded in shadows.

    ¡°Bob, from now on the ship will be designated Shadow Hunter.¡±

    ¡°Confirmed, Captain Peligro. Shadow Hunter.¡±

    I grinned and propped my feet up as I laced my fingers together behind my head. Life was hard but it certainly had its moments of joy.

    * * *

    Space travel was exciting to contemplate, but in reality, it was quite boring. It didn¡¯t take me long to grow bored and pulled out my wrist computer to surf the ethernet. I set up some accounts for my new identity. This time I got to pick my own name.

    ¡°Ginny Amerson.¡± I tapped the enter key to finalize the new account. A few hours later I had a bank account in my name with a complimentary twenty credits for opening a new account. I registered with the Ship Owners Association, listing one of my small hyper-capable ships in the hangar. It would give me access to some ship owner perks if I ever made port without revealing all my cards.

    ¡°Captain, we are thirty minutes from our destination,¡± Bob said.

    ¡°Thanks, Bob.¡± I yawned

    After sitting idle for so long, stood and stretched. We¡¯d be at Zenith soon. Fixing the engine and repairing the RB units had used up most of the scrap metal. There were enough degraded linens and other synthetics to add a few pieces to my wardrobe, but my other resources were lacking. I changed into a less form-fitting suit. This one had the same bells and whistles but was dark blue color and not a skin-tight attention-grabbing black leather.

    I took my place on the bridge and strapped in. ¡°So Bob, what materials do we need to fix the rest of the ship.¡±

    He started rattling off everything we needed, only half of which I¡¯d even heard of. ¡°What the heck is Bismuth?¡±

    ¡°Bismuth is a non-conductive metal, Captain.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s so helpful,¡± I muttered.

    We dropped out of the hyperway and the sensor quickly propagated the map. The abandoned mining station was all that remained from the colony¡¯s early space age days. It was beaten up pretty badly from asteroid impacts. Trying to salvage it in the asteroid field would be difficult.

    ¡°So this is Zenith,¡± I muttered.

    I charted a course to place us in orbit and looked at the scans. The sensors were only slightly damaged. They were perfectly capable of getting me a good scan. ¡°Bob, highlight points of interest for me.¡±

    ¡°Power sources, Captain?¡±

    ¡°No, locations that have the materials we need to make repairs. That¡¯s why we are here, remember?¡±

    ¡°Industrial centers will need power, Captain. The manufacturing centers likewise use energy,¡± Bob said.

    I pinched my nose. ¡°Bob, scan for locations where we can collect scrap metal and other materials without anyone noticing us, please.¡± Did he think we were going to buy stuff? Lame. Besides, it wasn¡¯t like I had money for that! It also went against my principles to buy something I could get for free.

    A location showed up on the screen a minute later. ¡°What am I looking at, Bob?¡±

    ¡°It''s an irradiated battlefield.¡±

    ¡°No wonder it looks dead. Are those tanks?¡±

    ¡°Yes. It appears a global conflict is currently underway.¡±

    ¡°And they have nukes. Okay then. Great. I didn¡¯t think they had reached the nuclear age yet.¡±

    ¡°Captain, if you took the salvage ship down to the planet, you could land in the irradiated zone and process the remains from the battle.¡±

    ¡°And melt my skin off. Great plan, Bob.¡±

    ¡°The ship''s shielding will prevent harmful radiation from affecting you. Likewise, your suit can shield you and would keep you safe.¡±

    ¡°Wait, you mean I could walk around down there, in just my clothing?¡±

    ¡°Yes, Captain, the skinsuit should be more than capable of reflecting the harmful radiation away. A warning will sound if the concentration is too dense for it to handle.¡±

    ¡°What''s the status of the scavenger ship?¡± I¡¯d gone over all the ships already and Arby had done some minor repairs to several to get them into working order but all of them needed work.

    ¡°The scavenger ship has one stabilizer missing along with several shield emitters that need to be replaced.¡±

    That would be fun. A missing stabilizer would make landing tricky. Just lovely. I gathered some more information and then waited a few hours to make sure there was no activity in the area. A war was raging all across the planet. Over a dozen major nations were engaged in the war aligned into two factions.

    The closest fighting was twenty miles to the north where an armored division was attacking a fortified position of infantry and artillery. Anti-tank guns traded rounds with the tanks and early jet-powered aircraft and helicopters fought for dominance in the sky. The defensive position was perfectly placed to block the advance on a major city further up the valley with mountains on one side and a marsh on the other side.If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.

    The irradiated zone was behind the attacker''s line. It looked like several divisions had been caught in the blast zone. There would be a lot of good salvage. I tried not to think about how many died there. Fortunately, their remains were probably turned to ash.

    I made my way down to the salvage ship. Its two cranes were tucked along the hull but they would work just as well on the planet as in space. I did a quick visual check and then boarded and strapped in.

    ¡°Okay, here we go. Computer, establish a channel with the Shadow Hunter.¡± It complied. ¡°Bob, send Arby down. I might need a handyman.¡± I snickered.

    I primed the engines while waiting. The ship hadn¡¯t been used in centuries but I had it checked out while we were en route. One of the shuttles needed a lot of work. It had been cannibalized to keep the shuttle I¡¯d used to get aboard in working order. The dropship and fighter were both in desperate need of maintenance but seemed to power up fine.

    Arby walked in and activated the mag-locks on his feet. I fired up the engines and lifted off. Despite my many hours in the simulator, I felt a little nervous flying. I¡¯d done it escaping from the Triv Prison ship but I¡¯d have far more pressing concerns on my mind at the time.

    The sidearm I¡¯d claimed was strapped to my side and I¡¯d brought the rifle along just in case I needed more firepower. The ride was smooth until we hit the atmosphere and then the ship was buffeted around. We made it through the stratosphere and were approaching my chosen landing zone when several additional stabilizers shut down.

    ¡°No no no!¡± I cried as the ship listed to the right. I hauled on the stick, trying to level out and correct my course but it refused to respond. I screamed out a curse as the ground rapidly approached. At the last moment, I overrode the shutdown, and the stabilizers and maneuvering jets fired. They quickly killed some of our speed, before failing. Then the ship slammed into the ground and I was thrown against my restraint. The straps cut deeply into my flesh as the ship plowed into the earth.

    The ship finally came to a stop fifty yards from the impact sight and I sagged in my seat.

    ¡°Ow,¡± I moaned. I released the straps and felt the wounds. I was lucky the straps didn¡¯t fail or I might have face-planted into the view screen. I¡¯d surely have cracked my skull for sure.

    ¡°Arby, remind me to replace all the restraints with new ones. Okay?¡±

    ¡°A note has been entered into the log, Captain.¡±

    ¡°Great.¡± I opened a link to my AI. ¡°Bob, did you see what happened? Will we be able to fly this thing out of here?¡±

    ¡°It is doubtful you¡¯ll be able to take off again without extensive repairs, Captain.¡±

    ¡°Suggestions?¡±

    ¡°Salvage materials for the ship¡¯s material processor and foundry. The salvage ship is equipped with a small but fully functional processing unit.¡±

    ¡°Really? Oh yeah, you did mention that.¡± There were a lot of details that had gone in one ear and out the other, and not all of that was due to being exhausted. There was only so much I could absorb at a time and Bob didn¡¯t understand the concept of information overload. He was an AI though, go figure.

    ¡°Okay, Arby. Looks like we have some work to do.¡±

    Bob chimed in. ¡°Captain, I suggest you scout the area while Arby scans the ship to make a list of the parts needed for repairs. Then you can collect some materials to make a scanner to speed up your search for the proper components.¡±

    That sounded like a decent plan. ¡°What¡¯s the radiation density here?¡±

    ¡°Higher than expected but your suit should be able to protect you when you leave the ship.¡±

    ¡®Should¡¯ was not the word I wanted to hear when exposing myself to radiation. I clenched my teeth together to stop myself from griping. Focus on the work, Ginny.

    * * *

    The dirt crunched under my feet. Everything was dead. For miles in every direction, there was nothing but wasteland and the remains of burnt hulls of tanks and trucks. To my left were several main battle tanks. To the right was a whole column of support trucks. The paint was melted off and the tires burnt away. Everything that could burn was gone. I glanced down at the list of materials I¡¯d need for the scanner Bob had told me to make.

    The common metals looked easy but I had no idea where to find lithium, gallium, and the other less common materials needed. The only saving grace was those weren¡¯t needed in large quantities.

    If nothing else, I could probably strip them out of some non-critical system on the salvage ship and repurpose them.

    ¡°Okay, Ginny, time to get to work. It¡¯s grave robbing time.¡± I scowled, this truly was a mass graveyard. I hadn¡¯t seen any corpses yet, most of them had probably been burnt to ash but I figured it was only a matter of time. I headed for one of the more intact-looking trucks to start my search. It looked fairly intact given the situation.

    I claimed a metal gas can and pried the radio from the dash then headed back. The electronics might have some of the less common things I needed. My guess was correct. I just needed about ten more radios and I¡¯d be golden. Great. I buckled down and got to work.

    It took hours. Most of the trucks were completely useless. They had caught fire and burnt to the frame. I started searching further and further away. Things seemed more intact further south. I headed that way.

    I was right. I salvaged half a dozen in just an hour, then returned to the salvage ship with my loot.

    ¡°That should do it. Now I just need to wait for it to finish building. How¡¯s it going Arby?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve cataloged the needed parts and started collecting scrap metal to be processed.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s great. How long do you think it will take now that we have the scanner?¡±

    ¡°Bob calculates the repairs to the salvage ship will take just under three days. If we are to collect more materials to return to the Shadow Hunter it will take longer.¡±

    ¡°Three days! What am I supposed to eat?¡± Or drink for that matter¡­

    ¡°Scans show an active settlement thirty miles to the north.¡±

    ¡°Active? It¡¯s active alright. There is a frinkin¡¯ war going on over there!¡± I shouted. ¡°How am I supposed to get there in the middle of a war?¡±

    Bob answered. ¡°You might try using some of those thieving skills you¡¯re so fond of mentioning.¡±

    ¡°Thanks, I never would have thought of that,¡± I said sarcastically.

    I was already considering how I¡¯d slip through the warring factions'' lines. I returned to the scavenger ship and pulled out my wrist computer. The locals had some kind of global net, but it was down in many areas due to the war. My quantum comm would have access anywhere if I programmed it correctly. I just needed a place to start. Once I knew what I was dealing with I could write a software patch and get more information.

    ¡°Bob, can you tap their communications?¡±

    ¡°Only their radio transmissions. Their encryption isn¡¯t very good.¡±

    ¡°Okay then. I need more information, here''s what I want you to do¡­¡±

    * * *

    It took me two hours to gather the information I needed. The resource scanner finished and Arby took it and got to work while I learned more about the natives. The two main factions were the Northern Coalition and the Southern Block. The Northern Coalition Forces or NCF were mostly across the central ocean but the country I was in now was an exception. It was on the coast and all its neighbors were aligned with the Southern Block Forces and had invaded. The mountainous terrain had funneled their attacks through narrow valleys and the offensive had stalled.

    The tank graveyard was what was left of most of the country¡¯s tanks and mechanized units. After the offensive stalled, the nation launched a counter-offensive and the Southern Block and hit them with a tactical nuke, wiping out both sides'' forces.

    The Southern Block was fond of more totalitarian regimes from what I could tell. Several countries had been forcibly annexed prior to the conflict kicking off. There was a small town forty miles to the south, away from the fighting and I decided I¡¯d head there instead of directly into the warzone.

    ¡°Arby,¡± I called out when the RB unit was close by. ¡°Can you fix one of those supply trucks?¡± I¡¯d seen several that looked decent a few miles away from where we¡¯d touched down. I¡¯d aimed for the center of the field, in hindsight, that had been a mistake. The main force of the blast was concentrated there. The dead zone was twenty miles across with the main force of the blast five miles in diameter in the center. Everything beyond that would make good salvage.

    ¡°Find a truck to the south and get it running. I¡¯m going to head south to that small town. I might be gone for a few days.¡±

    ¡°I believe I spotted a repairable truck, Captain. I will start on it right away.¡±

    My food and water supply was problematic. I¡¯d only brought a liter of water and no food. Not that I had much on the Shadow Hunter anyway, just the nasty protein powder. I gathered up my things, deciding to leave the rifle behind. My sidearm should be more than capable of handling anything I might come across. I hoped I wouldn¡¯t need it. I was a thief, not a killer.

    I set off across the irradiated wasteland for at least a fifteen-mile hike. I was going to be so sore tomorrow.

 Chapter 6

    There was a lot of time to think as I walked. My suit kept the radiation away and I considered the future. I had a spaceship now. The sky was no longer the limit. I could do anything, go anywhere. The derelict I found had technology I¡¯d never even heard about before. Even the quantum communications device I¡¯d taken from the dead Triv captain wasn¡¯t anything special. I just used it because the software linked with the ethernet.

    The Triv¡¯s technology made Radon¡¯s tech level seem primitive in comparison but the derelict had weapons that could blow a Triv ship apart. I had no idea what had happened to the creators of the ship, and neither did Bob. He¡¯d been waiting for someone to come for five hundred years.

    I had a lot to think about and more options than I¡¯d ever expected. My ship was functional, but barely. Getting it repaired was my current goal, but that was for the short term. What did I want to do long term? I¡¯d always craved excitement. The thrill that came with the heist. The money was nice too, but it always seemed to disappear. Treasure Hunter appealed to me. There was so much wealth just lying around here in this wasteland. No one else could come here, yet here I was. How many other places like this existed, not just on planets, but in space too? Abandoned stations full of treasure and danger.

    Yeah, the near-death experiences weren¡¯t fun, but despite the terror, fear, and insanity of the past few days, I¡¯d never felt so alive. I craved it just as much as I hated it. I was drawn to trouble. It was just the way I was wired. I could have done without the killed war machines though. That was a bit much on top of everything else. I¡¯d have loved to have had a few days to spend poking around the Triv Prison ship, collecting all the loot and other valuables.

    ¡°Huh, what do I call myself,¡± I wondered aloud. Calling myself a Thief wouldn¡¯t draw customers if I started a new business. It would probably land me in prison again. Scavenger, Finder, and Junker all had a bland boring sound to them. Not classy enough for me. ¡°Purveyor of Antiquities? Ugg. No, that just translates to Grave Robber. That wouldn¡¯t go over well. Ah-ha! Acquisitions Specialist! That sounds perfect!¡±

    With a firm nod and broad grin, I continued on my way. I¡¯d be the best Acquisitions Specialist ever. Need something found? I¡¯m your gal. I can get you anything. That would be a nice slogan and it left the door open to continue my clandestine activities. People would literally pay me for it too! I might not be able to keep what I find or steal, but the thrill was the best part. I could imagine myself hunting for treasure in old ruins or on derelict stations. With a new pep in my step, I continued across the desolate wasteland.

    I finally cleared the irradiated zone. Plants appeared and animals scurried about. A few abandoned farmhouses caught my eye but I didn¡¯t investigate. I saw no vehicles and they had likely fled with anything worth taking. I crossed a road a few miles back where dozens of vehicles had been abandoned, likely knocked out by the tactical nukes EMP. They would be easy enough to fix if necessary, but I wasn¡¯t interested in becoming a used car salesman. Not worth my time, not to mention boring.

    It was dark when I finally reached the town. There was a military checkpoint on the road into the town with a pair of soldiers manning it. I pegged a nearby building as their barracks, but it looked like it had started life as a shop of some kind. Sandbag walls were stacked neatly around the entrance.

    A thrill ran through me as I considered my approach. People were moving about but given the late hour, I saw only a few. My dark blue suit blended in well with the fading light. This wouldn¡¯t be a heist per se. I''d just sneak in and buy some food.

    Food shouldn¡¯t be that expensive¡­ I facepalmed. ¡°Ginny, you idiot!¡± I groaned. There was zero chance they would accept my credits. Each planet had its own currency, but you could use it anywhere, so long as the planet had integrated its banking system with the galactic community. Which required having access to space and the galactic community. As I said, there was zero chance they would accept my money.

    I had nothing worth trading which was too bad. I¡¯d had a long hard day and my feet were aching. I just wanted to sit down, eat some real food, and relax a little, not go sneaking around looking for food to steal. Slinking around in the dark for a thrill was much less exciting when tired, achy, and hungry.

    My thieving days had started as a means of survival. The slums offered few opportunities in general and even fewer for orphans. I¡¯d stolen to survive and realized I was good at it. First, it was small things, food, or items to pawn but the thrill and fear of getting caught drove me to keep at it. Sometimes I¡¯d just break into a place to see if I could, picking up some cheap souvenirs, and nicknacks, or in some cases raid their fridge for a snack.

    The town was settling in for the night when I made my move. All was quiet and the checkpoint had just changed the guards. I slowly circled away from the road and then darted forward, avoiding the soldiers entirely. I hopped over a stream and into someone''s backyard and paused behind their shed. My target was the general store I¡¯d spied two streets over.

    I slipped between two houses and crossed the first street. I stuck to the backyards of some houses as I made my way deeper into the town. A ritzy house on the corner caught my eye. It was still lit up and the street lights actually worked here. Most of the street lights had been smashed or shot out. I saw signs of fighting but not much destruction, just bullet holes and sandbags stacked into defensive emplacements near some of the intersections. They were unmanned now, left in the wake of the invaders'' advance.

    A burned-out building and a few bomb craters were the worst I saw on my way in.

    I pressed my back against the general store wall and froze as I listened carefully. All was quiet. My only company was crickets. I circled around back and snuck over to the door. I stopped and stared at the lock. It was strange, I saw no electronics at all. No card scanner, nothing. Nothing I could hack or slice. I tried the knob but it was locked.

    A closer look revealed a keyhole. I¡¯d never come across one of those in person. They were antiquated even in the TV shows I¡¯d watched, which was the only reason I knew what I was looking at. Blast! This is so inconvenient. Now, what am I supposed to do? I stood there stewing for several minutes before I decided to try the window. They were in their warm season so maybe they¡¯d left it propped open.

    No luck.

    Grumbling, I headed down the street in search of an easier target. My hackles rose at the thought of failure, I was competitive, but I just didn¡¯t have the time or energy to waste. I snuck around and wasted another hour looking for a place to steal some food from. At this point, I wasn¡¯t even sneaking around. No one was up and even if they did see me, I¡¯d look more suspicious sneaking than just walking.

    ¡°Maybe they have a homeless shelter or soup kitchen,¡± I muttered. I¡¯d survived several years in those places. ¡°Frinkin¡¯ key locks! Just when I feel like I¡¯m getting ahead in the world and now I can¡¯t even get some food. I have a frinken¡¯ spaceship, but I am starving to death!¡±

    So dramatic, Ginny. Get a grip. I was ready to go smash a window and burglarize the place like a common thug at this point. How dreadful. I was getting desperate! I hated being hungry. I¡¯d had enough of that for several lifetimes already. It was the worst.

    I returned to the general store like a lost puppy and glared at the lock. I¡¯d have to see about learning how to defeat these locks. I went to the window and looked around for a brick or something to smash it. I couldn¡¯t even find that.

    ¡°Come on Ginny, you¡¯re better than this!¡± I huffed.

    I clucked my fists and glared at the window. Maybe it has roof access. It looked like a flat-roofed building. I jogged over to the conduit pile attached to the wall and quickly scaled the wall. I hopped lightly onto the roof and smiled. I found a metal roof hatch. It was propped open a few inches to vent the hot air inside.

    ¡°Bingo!¡± I cheered quietly.

    I pulled it open and slipped inside. I was quite pleased I didn¡¯t have to resort to breaking the window. That was just unprofessional. The store wasn¡¯t very well stocked, but there was still plenty for my needs. I grabbed a backpack and devoured a little sweet cake as I filled it with water and food. I picked up a few tools as well. Crowbar, lighter fluid, lighter, tape, wire, a set of primitive radios, and a local phone.

    There were lots of other goodies but I had limited space. I checked the register but didn¡¯t take anything. I had another place in mind for acquiring some local cash. That ritzy house I saw on my way here was just begging me to rob it. I felt obligated to oblige.

    I snagged a small flashlight and some batteries on my way out. Once I was away from the general store I headed toward the ritzy house. When it came into view, I settled in across the street and observed for a while while I ate some of my food. Every bite was delicious.

    With my stomach satisfied and a good feel for the place, I moved in. I didn¡¯t normally hit two places in one night, but I didn¡¯t plan to be here come morning. A ground-floor window was cracked open. That was my infiltration point. I moved away from the ritzy house before I crossed the street and then crept toward the window.

    I slid the window open the rest of the way and paused to listen. The place had several lights on inside but I hadn¡¯t seen any movement or heard anything suspicious. I carefully pulled myself up and made my way inside. My adrenaline was pumping and a light smile tugged at my lips. This is what I lived for.

    The room was pitch black. I pulled out the flashlight I¡¯d taken. I¡¯d put a piece of tape over the lens so that when I toggled it on, only a small dim light pierced the tape. It was just enough to see by. I ignored the fancy but mundane items in search of money. There was a jar with coins in it on the dresser but that seemed more trouble than it was worth. I checked the pockets of some clothing for a wallet and looked for a purse. No luck. I left the room and headed on to the next one.

    It was a big house and I avoided the lit rooms for now. I checked several rooms and skipped the two with people sleeping in them. I was going through my fourth room when I realized the clothing I was seeing was military fatigues. In the dim light I couldn¡¯t make out the color let alone the style, however, my hands finally clued me in.

    That was not good. Instead of some rich family''s home, the military had commandeered it for their officers. Not good at all. I¡¯d found a few wallets though and had no issues yet so I pressed on. I exercised a bit more caution when checking a room for occupants. I didn¡¯t want to wake a soldier in the middle of the night. I felt myself smiling wider as I ascended to the second floor.

    Another wallet found its way into my bag. I was about to head to the next room when something drew my attention outside. I moved to the window, with a frown. A dozen figures crept toward the ritzy home, each of them armed with a rifle. I froze. How did they know I was here?

    My first thought was quickly replaced with something more plausible. They aren¡¯t here for me. Blast! Of all the nights¡­ They must be resistance fighters targeting the officers staying here. I cursed. Then I noticed one of the men looking up at the window I was peering out.

    He raised his rifle and I cursed. A shot rang out, the sound seemed especially loud in the quiet night. I had no time to react. The shot slammed into me. The suit hardened as the bullet impacted my chest and I screamed as I fell backward. The reactive armor dispersed the force of the shot surprisingly well. I sat on the floor feeling my body but there were no new holes, just a slightly bruised section just below my breasts.

    ¡°Blast!¡± I hissed. I was pleased with the armor and lucky to be alive. I scrambled to my feet and bolted for the door. While I was wrapping my head around not having a bullet hole, the rest of the house was coming alive. I heard the resistance fighters smashed through the door and shots were fired as the two sides clashed on the ground floor.

    I rushed instinctively for the stairs to retrace my steps. My only thought was to escape, but that wasn¡¯t going to work. Already two fighters were charging up the steps.

    I let out a yelp and ducked as a shot flew past my head. There was a room ahead of me and I rushed for it. The door opened just as I was reaching for the knob. I lowered my shoulder and slammed into it. Knocking the man inside off his feet as the door crashed into his face. I stumbled, and my knees hit the bed. I jumped forward onto the mattress and rolled toward the window.

    ¡°Freeze!¡± The words were loud but distant.

    ¡°Don¡¯t move!¡± someone shouted, closer this time.

    Shots followed throughout the house. I threw the window open and hopped out onto the porch roof.

    ¡°Stop that one!¡± someone shouted, very closely from behind.

    My heart jumped. I glanced back and saw the man I¡¯d knocked over get hit in the gut with the butt of a rifle. One of the two who¡¯d charged up the steps stopped to capture the man, and the other hurried to the window to grab me.

    ¡°Stop! Surrender now!¡± the man shouted.

    I ignored him and jumped for the row of hedges below.

    He cursed.

    ¡°She¡¯s running!¡± he shouted. ¡°I¡¯ll get her.¡±

    Another shot rang out as I pulled myself from the bushes. Above me, on the porch roof, I heard footsteps and looked up. He looked over the edge and leveled his weapon at me. I gulped as I stared down the length of the barrel.

    ¡°Hold it right there!¡±

    I stumbled back but my pack snagged on the hedge. He glanced away at something and I jerked my pack free and bolted. If I could get away from the house, I¡¯d be safe.

    The man swore. He fired a shot and I let out an undignified scream as it ricocheted off the sidewalk next to me. Either he was a horrible shot, or it was supposed to be a warning shot.

    I kept running. Unless he hit me in the head, my suit should handle it. I crossed the street and headed for the next one. Once I¡¯d put a few more houses between me and the enemy I slowed down. I¡¯d made it.Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work!

    ¡°That was close,¡± I whispered.

    I glanced back just to make sure I was clear. A man charged around the corner, his head on a swivel. Blast it! I cursed and took off running again.

    I¡¯d only made it two steps before I tripped over a tricycle some idiot child had left lying in the yard. Panic swelled within me and I scrambled to my feet and tried to flee. I could feel him breathing down my neck! Another alley beckoned across the street. I pumped my arms as I ran for it. I took the next right and sprinted for all I was worth.

    ¡°Good God woman, stop! Don¡¯t make me shoot you!¡± the man panted from behind me.

    I glanced back and my heart leaped into my throat. If he dove, he might very well take me down.

    ¡°Leave me alone!¡± I screamed.

    My feet felt like lead, and the pack on my back didn¡¯t help either. I¡¯d walked for miles and was already tired but I refused to stop. I rounded another corner and bounced off a wall as I failed to shed enough momentum to make the turn. A hand brushed my pack as I pushed harder to get away. I wasn¡¯t going to make it. Maybe if I was fresh and unburdened, but stopping or slowing to remove the pack would slow me down.

    The narrow space between buildings widened and then I was on another street. A spotlight hit me right in the eyes, appearing out of nowhere. I cried out in surprise and shielded my eyes.

    ¡°Freeze! Put your hand on your head!¡±

    I couldn¡¯t see anything. I stumbled and looked back. My tail was there, rifle raised in my direction. The loud crack made me flinch but it wasn¡¯t aimed at me. The spotlight exploded in a shower of sparks. I hit the ground as bullets started flying. It was over in a pair of heartbeats. The two soldiers with the spotlight were dead and my tail standing tall over me.

    He pointed his rifle at me and glared. In a husky voice, he said, ¡°Don¡¯t move.¡±

    I sagged in defeat. I was bushed. It had been a long day and an even longer night¡ªand it wasn¡¯t over yet.

    I glared up at him.

    ¡°Lose the pack and weapon. Take that device off your wrist too.¡± I obeyed and he collected my weapon and wrist computer. ¡°Now lay face down and put your hands behind your back. Now!¡± he snapped.

    He quickly secured my hands with zip ties. ¡°Get up. Try to run and I¡¯ll shoot you.¡±

    ¡°Hey, my pack, don¡¯t just leave it there!¡± I demanded.

    ¡°Really? That¡¯s what you¡¯re worried about?¡± he replied.

    ¡°Yes! Who are you people anyway?¡±

    He laughed. ¡°Like you don¡¯t know. Let¡¯s go.¡±

    ¡°Not until you get my pack. Or you could let me go. I prefer the second option but¡ª¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re not the one making demands, woman! Walk.¡±

    I planted my feet. ¡°No.¡±

    ¡°Do you want me to shoot you? Because you¡¯re making that sound very tempting.¡±

    I glared at him. ¡°I¡¯m not moving until you get my pack.¡±

    He rolled his eyes at me but he did grab my pack. ¡°Women. Always so bossy.¡±

    We didn¡¯t return to the ritzy house like I¡¯d expected. We headed toward the edge of town.

    ¡°Where are we going?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Shut up, or I¡¯ll gag you.¡± He didn¡¯t speak after that.

    Just outside of town, we entered a small shack. He pushed me into the corner and tossed my pack to the side. He glanced out the door for a moment and then closed it. Only then did he turn on the light, a single bulb hanging from the ceiling. I could see the wires it hung from. It didn¡¯t look very safe. I had very little energy to spare worrying about the shotty wiring though.

    I blinked and squinted in the sudden brightness. The man has a neatly trimmed beard, broad shoulders, and a hardened look I associated with hard living. The man looked like many of the homeless people I¡¯d seen in the slums, only armed, clean, and well-fed. A survivor then. I could see the drive in his eyes. A veteran soldier, I realized.

    He was getting a good look at me too. I was glad I¡¯d opted for the less form-fitting dark blue suit instead of my black skin-tight leather one.

    ¡°Who are you?¡± he asked suddenly. ¡°You¡¯re certainly not SB military. Are you a spy?¡±

    I scowled at him. ¡°Do I look like a spy?¡±

    He snorted and his eyes scanned me from head to toe a second time. ¡°Not really subtle if you are.¡±

    What¡¯s that supposed to mean? It almost sounded like he was hitting on me. Maybe I was just flattering myself, still if he was, I might be able to get him to lower his guard. ¡°Thanks?¡±

    ¡°What were you doing in the CB¡¯s local HQ?¡± he asked.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about,¡± I said.

    ¡°Look lady, you¡¯re only play here is to cooperate with me. If you don¡¯t know anything useful, I do not need to keep you alive.¡±

    ¡°Or you could let me go,¡± I said. ¡°Isn¡¯t the NCF all about freedom and democracy?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t give a rat''s ass about the coalition. I haven¡¯t seen those NCF forces dying to protect Corinth. As far as I¡¯m concerned they are just as bad as the Southern Block.¡±

    ¡°Corinth? Is that the name of your country?¡±

    His hand tightened on his rifle and he glared at me. Stop talking, Ginny.

    ¡°Start talking, lady.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll tell you my name if you tell me yours,¡± I quipped.

    His hand came up and I flinched away but he stopped just shy of striking me. ¡°Don¡¯t test my patience.¡±

    I swallowed hard. ¡°In my pack are several IDs and wallets from the officers in that house you attacked.¡±

    He watched me closely as he checked. ¡°Why?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ll have to be more specific than that, buddy.¡±

    ¡°Why do you have these?¡±

    I coughed, ¡°Well, em, you see I happened to find them lying around.¡± I looked up at the ceiling and tried to sound innocent while conveying the truth. I definitely wasn¡¯t going to admit to being a thief. That wasn¡¯t conducive behavior to a long free life.

    ¡°You stole them.¡±

    ¡°I have no idea what you¡¯re talking about!¡± I replied.

    ¡°That almost sounded convincing. Why would you steal IDs and wallets from military officers? Makes no sense.¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t steal anything, but I might be having some financial difficulties.¡±

    ¡°Enough with the double talk, lady. Just explain what¡¯s going on already. Who are you anyway?¡±

    I huffed. He was no fun. ¡°I owe the general store some money and figured the people living in the ritziest house would be the best to donate to my cause. I didn¡¯t know who was there until later and then you came along and ruined my night!¡±

    He snorted at the accusation. ¡°And your name?¡± he inquired.

    ¡°That¡¯s classified. Top secret!¡± I raised my nose into the air.

    He sighed and shook his head. He looked incredibly weary all of a sudden. He ran a hand over his face and just stared at me for a minute. Eventually, he seemed to come to a decision.

    ¡°You have a lot of food in here. You have someone who needs food?¡± he asked.

    I wasn¡¯t sure what to say so I nodded. Better he thinks I have someone depending on me than not. Might help me out.

    ¡°I can respect that. We all have people counting on us. We¡¯ll talk more at the safe house. First I need to report in.¡±

    He pulled out his radio and I cringed. Their encryptions were terrible. I could just imagine him leading a squad of soldiers right to us.

    ¡°Rider calling Alpha One. Come in Alpha One.¡±

    There was a long delay. ¡°Alpha One calling Rider, we read you, go ahead Rider. Over.¡±

    ¡°Rider sitting on one hot potato. Please advise nest, over.¡±

    I had trouble tracking the conversation with their odd lingo. Maybe they knew their encryption was a joke. If I didn¡¯t miss my guess though, I was the hot potato and he wanted to know where to stash me. The conversation took another ten minutes. When he finished, he held up my wrist computer.

    ¡°What is this?¡± he asked, his eyes boring into me.

    I didn¡¯t much like his judgemental gaze, but he was easy on the eyes. I debated what to say. On the one hand, cooperating would probably get me out of this mess faster. On the other hand, I was tired and irritable. The guy had ruined my night and then run me down to boot. As a professional thief who prided myself on my skills, that was embarrassing. In the end, though, I wanted to see his eyes bug out when I told him. They had computers here but they were probably still the size of houses. Okay, maybe not quite that bad.

    ¡°It¡¯s a wrist computer.¡±

    He snorted. ¡°What, like a calculator?¡± he asked.

    I sighed. That was not the reaction I was hoping for. ¡°Sure, it can do that. It¡¯s got a clock on there too,¡± I said sarcastically.

    His eyes narrowed. ¡°What aren¡¯t you telling me?¡±

    ¡°I answered your question, bro.¡±

    He examined the device more closely and started hitting buttons. Don¡¯t do that, you might break it! He looked up and I froze. A light smile formed on his face.

    ¡°Don¡¯t like me messing with it, eh?¡±

    For the record, I did not squirm. I was merely repositioning myself to be more comfortable. ¡°You could break it.¡±

    ¡°Talk.¡±

    I pursed my lips at him.

    He set it on the ground. ¡°Could be a tracker.¡± He lifted his boot to smash it.

    ¡°Wait!¡± I glared at him. ¡°I¡¯ll talk!¡±

    He lowered his foot. ¡°I¡¯m waiting.

    ¡°Do you know anything about computers?¡± I asked.

    He nodded. ¡°A little.¡±

    ¡°Okay, how can I explain this? Right. Here is a comparison you might be able to understand. If the computers you¡¯re familiar with were paper airplanes. This would be a jet fighter in comparison. It¡¯s so much better in every way imaginable that I can¡¯t really relate it to your antiquated computers.¡±

    ¡°If it¡¯s so advanced, then where did you get it?¡±

    ¡°I found it.¡±

    ¡°Sure. You just found it, let me guess. It was just lying around, right?¡±

    ¡°Yes, actually.¡±

    He groaned. ¡°This is going to be a long night. What¡¯s your name.¡±

    ¡°You can call me Ginny.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not your name.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not telling you my real name.¡±

    ¡°Why not?¡±

    ¡°Cause I don¡¯t like it. And no I¡¯m not going to tell¡ª Stop! Blast it, stop it!¡± I snapped as he threatened to smash my wrist computer again.

    ¡°Why don¡¯t you like your real name, Ginny?¡±

    ¡°Because it makes me sound like a stripper,¡± I snapped.

    He blinked. He burst out laughing. ¡°Okay, that¡¯s not what I was expecting. Wow. So the computer. Where did you get it?¡±

    ¡°I told you. Why don¡¯t you believe me? I was telling the truth, bro.¡±

    ¡°If it¡¯s as advanced as you say, then no one would just leave it lying around.¡±

    ¡°Well, the guy who had it was dead. No, I didn¡¯t kill him. I¡¯m not a murderer.¡±

    ¡°This would be a lot easier if you just started from the beginning,¡± he said, leaning back to get comfortable.

    ¡°Why can¡¯t you just let me go? I¡¯m not your enemy. You have no reason to keep me tied up like this,¡± I said, giving him my best pleading expression.

    ¡°Don¡¯t look at me like that. Your doe eyes aren¡¯t going to work on me.¡±

    I huffed. ¡°Well, I need to pee.¡±

    ¡°Hold it. Or don¡¯t. No skin off my nose.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re such an ass!¡±

    He chuckled. ¡°So I¡¯ve heard. Look, if you really need to go, just hold it. When backup arrives, you can go then. A couple of girls are with them, no way I am leaving you unattended though.¡±

    I scowled. ¡°If I tell you what you want to know, will you let me go?¡±

    ¡°Maybe. If I like what I hear.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not much of a promise,¡± I said.

    The zip ties were cutting into my wrist, my feet ached, and I really did need to pee.

    He asked me about my clothing.

    ¡°Just my fashion tastes. Why are you looking for something similar? Maybe a skin-tight ninja suit?¡±

    He quickly changed the topic. When he pulled out my sidearm the jig was up.

    ¡°What kind of pistol is this?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a rangefinder. It uses light to measure distance,¡± I said. The laser sight actually did that.

    He didn¡¯t believe me. He pointed it at my head. ¡°So I just pull the¡ª¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a laser pistol!¡± Blast him! He¡¯s way too good at getting answers out of me. I didn¡¯t think he would shoot me but I¡¯d already been shot once tonight and the bruise on my chest wasn¡¯t fun.

    ¡°Explain that.¡±

    He was right. It was a long night.

    * * *

    Southern Block Occupied Zone:

    Gary Holden finally handed the odd cantankerous woman off to his comrades in the resistance. She was a bundle of joy wrapped in porcupine quills but he kind of liked her tenacity. Even with the threats and tied up, she had spunk. She looked great in the odd one-piece blue catsuit too.

    ¡°Rider, come in,¡± Pegasus said. ¡°What did you learn from your captive?¡±

    ¡°Well, she wasn¡¯t supposed to be there.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    Pegasus was the codename for his cell¡¯s second-in-command. He was a tall wiry man with a good head on his shoulders. Before the war, he¡¯d been a mailman. Go figure. It was a strange world.

    ¡°She¡¯s a thief. She was robbing them blindly when we turned up to spoil her fun.¡±

    ¡°Hold up. Are you telling me this girl waltzed into the local SB¡¯s HQ to rob them?¡±

    ¡°Yeah. I know it sounds crazy, but that¡¯s the truth. She¡¯s a professional too. Even under pressure she never admitted to actually being a thief, she certainly inferred though. Take a look at these.¡± Gary tossed the IDs and other loot she¡¯d taken on the desk. ¡°She was after the money, or so she says. Her pack was mostly full of food and water. Pretty sure she was stealing to feed someone but I didn¡¯t press her on that.¡±

    ¡°Why not, Rider?¡±

    ¡°Would you have given up your people? Besides, there was plenty more to talk about.¡±

    ¡°We haven¡¯t got all night.¡±

    Gary laughed. ¡°We might need it. She¡¯s got gadgets and gizmos I¡¯ve never heard about. Advanced stuff too. This is a wrist computer that according to her is way more advanced than anything we have. That¡¯s not all. She had a laser pistol too.¡±

    ¡°Those are a myth. Even if they could make a working laser, it would be the size of a building.¡±

    ¡°I know. She also tried to trick me. She said it was a rangefinder until I pointed it at her head. I wanted to test it, but wasn¡¯t sure what it did so I held off.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll have it verified.¡±

    ¡°Thanks, Pegasus. She goes by Ginny. She seems pretty skilled but also harmless.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°Just the feeling she gives off. Like a cornered weasel. She never tried to shoot at me even though it was obvious I¡¯d run her down. Didn¡¯t even go for her weapon. She just tried to run. She¡¯s got spunk though and I¡¯d give her top marks for scowls and glares.¡±

    Pegasus snorted. ¡°Sounds like you like her.¡±

    Gary chuckled. ¡°No. She¡¯s a headache, plain and simple.¡±

    ¡°We should get rid of her then.¡±

    ¡°About that. See I had an idea. She gave me fits even when I threatened to shoot her if she didn¡¯t answer my questions. What if we could turn her loose on the Southern Block?¡±

    ¡°That sounds dangerous. How would you control her?¡±

    ¡°Everyone has someone they care about. Might not work long-term, but she was stealing food. Way more than she¡¯d need for just herself. I propose we keep her isolated from the cell. The prison at New Grove has a lot of our people. She¡¯s a thief. Have her sneak in and free them, and send her with a few weapons. Between them and a coordinated attack from the outside, I bet we¡¯d pull it off. It would tie up a division at least as they scoured the countryside looking for everyone.¡±

    ¡°Would you go in with her? I don¡¯t trust her alone. Would you stake your life on her following the plan?¡± Pegasus asked.

    Gary shrugged. ¡°She seemed very concerned about her things.¡± He pointed to the wrist computer. ¡°Promise to return it if she does as we ask and I bet she¡¯d go along with it.¡±

    ¡°Are you willing to bet your life on it?¡±

    Gary thought about it for a minute and then nodded. ¡°Yeah. I think I am.¡±

    Pegusus drew in a long breath and leaned back in his chain. ¡°I¡¯ll think about it.¡±

 Chapter 7

    Athena and Moonbeam were my minders at the old farmhouse they took me to. Both were codenames, unlike my parents, theirs weren¡¯t crazy. What kind of person names their daughter Gypsy? The pair saw to my needs but mostly just guarded me through the rest of the night. They kept my hands bound the entire time except when I was relieving myself.

    It was early. The sun was just brightening the horizon and Athena had nodded off. I felt like doing the same. I hadn¡¯t slept and was exhausted. Moonbeam was reading a paper facing the door. She might be able to see me out of her peripherals but she looked engrossed in her article.

    I coughed, testing their reactions. Moonbeam glanced over, her jaw working as she chewed her gum. She went back to her article. I scooted a few inches to my left and began rubbing the zip tie against the doorstop. It was rusted. The rubber piece on the end had come off. I clenched my jaw as the plastic zip ties dug into my wrists.

    The rusty metal wore through the plastic quickly and the ties broke. Elation filled me. I did it! Way to Go, Ginny! I coughed again.

    Moonbeam looked over.

    ¡°I need to pee,¡± I whispered, glancing at Athena.

    Moonbeam sighed. ¡°You just went a few hours ago.¡±

    ¡°The sun is coming up. It¡¯s been a while.¡±

    She put her paper down and stood. I eyed the pistol on her thigh. If I could get her close I could grab it and then escape. I still need my pack. The wrist comm would be a huge loss. Or rather the software on it. I¡¯d need to make a backup with all the software when I got back to the ship.

    ¡°Help me up, please?¡± I asked.

    Moonbeam sighed but reached down to grab me under the arm. As she helped me up I pulled her off balance. When she reached out to brace herself I grabbed her pistol and pushed her away.

    ¡°Not a sound!¡± I hissed.

    Athena was still sleeping. That girl could probably sleep through an artillery bombardment. Maybe she had.

    ¡°Where is my pack? Don¡¯t lie to me.¡±

    ¡°Pegasus has it,¡± she said.

    ¡°Who¡¯s that?¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s in charge around here. P-please, don¡¯t kill me.¡±

    I stepped back and lowered the weapon. ¡°Just let me go. We don¡¯t need to be enemies.¡±

    She stepped back and discreetly kicked Agetha¡¯s foot.

    My eyes widened as she woke the other girl. ¡°Stop!¡± I leveled the weapon at her again. Athena groaned. ¡°What? Is it morning already?¡±

    Her eyes opened and then went wide. ¡°Shit!¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t move. The bathroom. Get in there. Both of you.¡±

    They moved into the bathroom. They had chosen the place for its small size and lack of windows. They had even installed a deadbolt on the outside of the bathroom so they didn¡¯t have to watch me in there. I locked them in and hurried for the door. I pulled it open and nearly ran right into my captor.

    ¡°Ah!¡± I cried out and stumbled back. The weapon came up by reflex. He instinctively grabbed my wrist and wrenched it to the side as he advanced. Rider forced me back and stripped me of the weapon all at the same time. Before I could blink he was standing there with my commandeered weapon trained on me.

    ¡°Going somewhere?¡± he asked calmly. ¡°For an early morning stroll perhaps?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, my legs were stiff. Thought I¡¯d take a walk,¡± I sassed back as I caught my balance, mentally and physically.

    ¡°You better hope you didn¡¯t hurt the girls,¡± he said, his levity gone.

    ¡°Rider, is that you? Rider, we¡¯re in here!¡± Athena called. ¡°The girl escaped!¡±

    ¡°I got her. You two alright?¡± he asked.

    ¡°Yes! Now get us out of here!¡± Moonbeam demanded.

    Rider glared at me and I went and stood in the far corner. Moonbeam and Athena were not happy.

    ¡°Try to hold on to this next time,¡± Rider said, handing Moonbeam her sidearm. ¡°She didn¡¯t hurt you?¡±

    ¡°No,¡± she bit out.

    ¡°I was sleeping. Woke up and she bustled us into the bathroom.¡± Athena shrugged with her arms. ¡°What did I miss?¡±

    ¡°Just our little thief trying to make a break for it.¡± He looked over at me. ¡°Get any sleep?¡±

    ¡°No, it''s kind of hard to do when you''re tied up. What do you even want with me? I don¡¯t know anything of value to you.¡±

    ¡°Sure you do. Besides, you have skills we could use.¡±

    ¡°Wait. Did you just offer me a job?¡± I looked at the girls. ¡°He didn¡¯t, did he?¡±

    ¡°No.¡± Rider flipped one of the chairs around and sat on it backward. ¡°But I¡¯m thinking about it.¡±

    ¡°Then you¡¯ll let me go?¡±

    He shrugged. ¡°It¡¯s not up to me.¡±

    ¡°Then why am I even talking to you?¡±

    ¡°Where is the horse guy?¡±

    They all exchanged a look. ¡°Horse guy?¡± Athena asked.

    ¡°Pegasus. It¡¯s like a winged horse or something, right?¡± I asked.

    Athena snort-laughed. ¡°I think I like her.¡±

    I scowled. ¡°Great. Let''s go on a road trip. I¡¯ll grab my bag and meet you out front in half an hour.¡±

    Moonbeam glared at me. ¡°Why haven¡¯t you tied her up yet?¡±

    ¡°She got out once. She can do it again,¡± Rider said. ¡°Besides, Pegasus wants to talk to her. Let''s go.¡±

    ¡°What''s in it for me?¡±

    ¡°Breakfast.¡±

    ¡°Lead on!¡± I said promptly.

    ¡°Do I have permission to shoot her if she tries to run?¡± Moonbeam asked.

    ¡°Sure, just don¡¯t jump the gun,¡± Rider said.

    I rolled my eyes, but a smile tugged at my lips at the horrible pun. Was it even a pun? I don¡¯t know. I¡¯d been up all night.

    ¡°So who were you stealing food for?¡±

    ¡°Steal? I don¡¯t know¡ª¡±

    ¡°What I¡¯m talking about. I know. So who were you getting food for?¡± Rider cut in.

    I shrugged. ¡°I have a big appetite.¡±

    ¡°You expect me to believe all that was for you?¡±

    I patted my stomach. ¡°I¡¯m trying to hide my figure.¡±

    Athena burst out laughing. ¡°Can we keep her?¡±

    Moonbeam glared at her. ¡°Shut up.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s your problem? Wake up on the wrong side of the bed this morning?¡±

    ¡°That would imply I went to bed,¡± Moonbeam snapped.

    Athena laughed and patted her on the shoulder. ¡°Go get some sleep.¡±

    After breakfast Rider took me to meet Pegasus. Apparently, he wanted to meet me himself to evaluate the risks of utilizing my skills. He outlined the mission. Infiltrate a prison, release the prisoners, and hand out some guns.

    ¡°So will you help us?¡± he asked.

    ¡°No way. I¡¯m not getting involved in your crazy war!¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll give you your pack and other items back.¡± He paused. ¡°And let you go.¡±

    ¡°I still see no reason to help you.¡±

    ¡°We can pay you.¡±

    ¡°How much?¡± I asked.

    He thought about it for a moment. ¡°Ten grand.¡±

    ¡°Oh great. Risk my life for you people for ten grand? When do we leave? I can hardly wait.¡±

    ¡°Sarcasm?¡±

    ¡°If you want my help, I want my things back.¡±

    ¡°No weapons until mission time.¡±

    I waved it off. ¡°Fine.¡±

    ¡°And we¡¯ll hold onto your things during the mission. We need some assurance that you¡¯ll do your part.¡±

    ¡°Is my word not good enough?¡±

    He snorted. ¡°Rider tells me you''re a little free with the truth.¡±

    I glared at Rider. ¡°Telling all my secrets?¡±

    He grunted. ¡°Not all.¡±

    I rolled my eyes. ¡°Like you know them all.¡±

    His gaze hardened. ¡°You screw this up, you could get a lot of good men killed.¡±

    ¡°Not my men or my problem,¡± I said. ¡°But if I accept payment for something. I¡¯ll do it but I want fifty grand. You want my expertise, it¡¯s going to cost you.¡±Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

    ¡°Payment upon successful execution then. We can do twenty thousand,¡± Pegasus cut in.

    ¡°Forty-five.¡±

    ¡°This isn¡¯t a negotiation.¡±

    I shrugged. ¡°Then find someone else.¡±

    ¡°Your freedom isn¡¯t payment enough?¡± Rider asked.

    ¡°You could be lying about that. Heck, you could be lying about everything.¡±

    Our bickering wrapped up when a man burst into the room. He was breathing hard and his brow was covered in sweat.

    ¡°Patrol inbound!¡± he said.

    The response was immediate. ¡°Go. Rider, take the girls. We¡¯ll meet at an alternate location,¡± Pegasus said.

    We hurried out and I was pulled along by an irate Moonbeam. ¡°Keep up! If you slow us down, I¡¯ll kill you.¡±

    What a ray of sunshine¡­ I did as instructed. Rebels hurried about, some ducked into the barn and reappeared a few minutes later loaded for bear. Rider shouldered my pack. Moonbeam, Athena, and Rider were joined by two other men. They formed up and pushed into a jog heading for the crop of trees in the distance.

    ¡°Don¡¯t slow us down,¡± Moonbeam said.

    ¡°Or you¡¯ll kill me, I know. I got it the first time.¡±

    The movement helped loosen up my stiff muscles. The bruise on my chest had stopped hurting sometime during the night. Bob lied to me. The nanobots might help me heal faster, but they didn¡¯t do squat for sore muscles.

    They pushed hard to reach the trees and then dropped into foxholes and turned to wait. They prepared weapons and armed some preset claymores.

    ¡°Are we expecting a fight?¡± I asked Athena.

    ¡°Hush!¡± Moonbeam snapped.

    ¡°Ignore her,¡± Athena said. ¡°And yeah. We¡¯re always expecting a fight. So are you going to help us?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll probably have to. I don¡¯t want to be shot,¡± I said casually.

    Athena winced. ¡°Sorry about that. I know some of the men in that prison. They are good people.¡±

    ¡°Maybe they are, but it¡¯s not my fight. I just came here¡ª¡±

    ¡°Yeah?¡±

    ¡°Nothing.¡±

    ¡°You seem alright for a thief. Who were you stealing food for? Siblings?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not a thief. I am just a greedy glutton,¡± I said.

    ¡°Fine. Don¡¯t tell me.¡± She fell silent. ¡°Hey, Ginny?¡±

    ¡°Yeah?¡±

    ¡°Thanks.¡±

    ¡°Um, for what?¡±

    She smiled. ¡°For helping us.¡±

    ¡°I haven¡¯t decided to¡ª¡±

    ¡°You will. I can tell,¡± Athena said.

    The patrol rolled up to the farm. Everyone tensed in anticipation. After twenty minutes that seemed to last for hours, the patrol left. We set out again heading deeper into the woods. It was almost noon before we reached a cabin tucked into the woods. I collapsed into a chair and quickly fell asleep.

    * * *

    Three days passed in the cabin. Athena and Moonbeam left. Others came and went. I listened to radio chatter to pass the time. Rider finally relented to my pestering and gave me my wrist computer and I hacked into the enemy communications. He was much more accommodating after that. The rebels executed an ambush on a convoy, blew up a radio tower, and scouted the prison.

    A week passed before they were ready to hit the place. Rider was going over the plan with me for the fifth time that morning, still trying to convince me to help. I was holding out for forty-five thousand and Pegasus wasn¡¯t budging. North Star another of their team burst inside, his side was drenched in blood and he was exhausted.

    ¡°North Star, what happened?¡± Rider demanded.

    ¡°Patrol found us,¡± he gasped. ¡°Midnight is dead. Emerald and Silver too. They captured Athena! They are coming.¡±

    ¡°Burn the maps!¡± Rider ordered. ¡°Get out of here, take Ginny to the fallback sight. I¡¯ll clean up here and join you.¡±

    ¡°There is no time!¡± North Star said. ¡°Use the incendiaries.¡±

    Rider cursed. I grabbed my pack while they handled their business. ¡°Give her a weapon.¡±

    ¡°No thanks. I¡¯d prefer the zip ties, I probably have a better chance of survival if I¡¯m a prisoner.¡±

    ¡°Now isn¡¯t the time for your jokes!¡± Rider shouted. He thrust a rifle into my hands causing me to stumble. ¡°Let''s go.¡±

    We exited the door and he tossed a pair of incendiary grenades into the cabin, then we ran. Rider was slowed helping North Star as the man stumbled along.

    ¡°Get his other side!¡±

    ¡°My clothes might get bloody,¡± I grumbled even as I obeyed.

    ¡°You¡¯re all heart,¡± North Star said between gulps of air.

    ¡°Yeah, yeah, whatever.¡±

    The smoke started pouring out of the cabin as we crested the hill. I glanced back and saw a pair of tracked vehicles smash through the brush. Soldiers poured out of them and surrounded the cabin.

    ¡°Get down,¡± Rider ordered.

    The brush and trees hid us well, but there was no point taking risks.

    We sat in silence for a while. North Star was still bleeding.

    ¡°He needs a doctor,¡± I said.

    ¡°I know.¡±

    ¡°Rider, he¡¯s losing a lot of blood.¡±

    ¡°I know!¡±

    I swallowed hard. ¡°Keep pressure on it,¡± I told him. My throat tightened as I watched him bleed out. I didn¡¯t know him well but watching him bleeding out was awful. The dam broke and tears flowed down my cheeks.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± I cried.

    His hand clutched mine. Rider cursed but I couldn¡¯t take my eyes off North Star.

    ¡°I-I¡¯m John,¡± he said. ¡°P-please, help Rose. T-they took her.¡±

    ¡°Rose?¡± Rider asked.

    ¡°Athena,¡± John croaked. ¡°Please, you have to save her.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll try,¡± I said.

    His grip weakened. I leaned down and kissed him on the forehead. A few seconds later he was gone. His head rolled to the side and his hand went limp.

    I don¡¯t know how long I sat there crying but Rider jolted me out of my daze with a hand on my shoulder.

    ¡°We should go. Before they organize their scouts.¡±

    He shook me to get a response. I sniffled and wiped my nose. I felt hollow inside. All the dead bodies I¡¯d seen on the prison ship were nothing compared to this. Watching as the life slowly drained out of someone and being helpless to do anything about was horrible.

    Rider pulled me after him. We stayed low to avoid detection and then we were over the hill and on our way. I¡¯d only gotten to know North Star a little over the past week, but he seemed like a decent guy. Athena, Rose, I¡¯d gotten to know a lot better. They had her now. She was kind and bubbly. Even in the mists of war, she had a happy disposition. God only knows what they are doing to her right now. I don¡¯t know if I¡¯d go as far as to say she was a friend, but it was close.

    Rider led me through the woods for hours before we came to a pavilion. A vehicle was sheltered there under a thick tarp. Dead leaves had collected in the dips on the tarp.

    He uncovered it and hopped in. The jeep had a rollbar and open top with a small area behind the seats for cargo. The engine cranked once before dying. Rider cursed and slammed his palm into the steering wheel.

    ¡°What now?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Get the generator started,¡± he ordered. ¡°I¡¯m going to check the supplies.¡±

    I had to hunt around for the generator. My experience with old tech like this was growing, but I wasn¡¯t sure what exactly I was looking for. I didn¡¯t ask though. Rider was ticked. He¡¯d lost several people and was fuming.

    ¡°It¡¯s under the tarp in the back,¡± he snapped.

    The generator was a clunky thing housed in a square metal frame with wheels on it. I rolled out and fumbled with the thing before figuring it out. A pull cord? Really? Thankfully that was well-built and fired up on the second pull. It coughed for a few seconds and then revved up to a healthy purr.

    Rider popped the hood and hooked up some cables. ¡°Try it now.¡±

    I¡¯d never driven one of their vehicles but it looked pretty simple. I copied what he¡¯d done and it cranked over. A few seconds later it sputtered to a start and evened out.

    Rider wasted no time removing the cables and tossing them in the back. He shut the generator down and called me over. ¡°Give me a hand,¡± he said.

    We loaded it up along with the other supplies he¡¯d found and then we were off. The trail hadn¡¯t been used in a while, but we only had to travel a mile or so before we reached a gate on the edge of the woods.

    ¡°Get the gate,¡± he said.

    I complied. It wasn¡¯t locked and he pulled through, into a field. We bounced along through the field and pulled out onto the road after passing through another gate.

    ¡°What now?¡± I asked over the wind.

    ¡°Now we hide. The cell is compromised. Athena will spill her guts eventually and we¡¯ll all be in danger.¡±

    ¡°Not if we rescue her. John said they took her to the prison, right? We are all set to raid that place anyway.¡±

    ¡°Forget it. Pegasus isn¡¯t going to risk it now. There is no money. That was a lie.¡±

    I thought about my near escape from the Breakers. The Triv might have a low crime rate, but was extensive torture really worth it? To me, that just sounded cruel for cruelty''s sake. I imagined a similar fate for the sweet woman. She¡¯d been kind to me. I¡¯d never had many friends and she didn¡¯t care one lick that I was a thief.

    ¡°What will happen to her?¡±

    He grimaced. ¡°What do you think?¡±

    Nothing good, that¡¯s for sure. ¡°We can¡¯t just leave her there.¡±

    ¡°What can we do? We¡¯re on our own. We¡¯ve got no support. Even if I dared to contact anyone. They are going to go to the ground. It was risky when we had time to plan, now it¡¯s suicide.¡±

    ¡°Well, I¡¯m not going to leave her here!¡± I said.

    ¡°Why the sudden change of heart? You were dead set against it before, and demanding money. What changed?¡±

    ¡°It got personal,¡± I said, almost too quietly for him to hear.

    We went another mile in silence. ¡°Forget it.¡±

    ¡°If you¡¯re not going to help, you can let me off here,¡± I snapped.

    He pulled over and slammed on the brakes. He threw it in the park and glared at me. ¡°If you want to run off and get yourself killed, be my guest. She¡¯s gone. Just like North Star! I¡¯m not throwing my life, or anyone else''s life away, on a fool''s errand! We fail, and everyone we¡¯re trying to save will get killed!¡±

    I drew back from the fierce anger in his eyes. He was angrier than I¡¯d thought. His tone shifted as he spoke about the prisoners. Someone there was important to him. ¡°They have someone important to you. Who?¡±

    ¡°None of your business,¡± he said bitterly.

    ¡°What! None of my business? You made it my business when you didn¡¯t let me leave! I¡¯ve been stuck with you for more than a week and miserable for most of it! I¡¯m sick of being told what to do! Being shuffled around in dirty little spaces with smelly bodies, terrible beds, and no voice. I¡¯m done! I¡¯m going to get her out. You can sod off and hide if you want but I¡¯m done with you telling me what to do!¡±

    I hopped out and grabbed my pack, exchanging it for the rifle he¡¯d given me. I was sick of this war, the fighting, and death. What are you doing, Ginny? I didn¡¯t owe Athena anything. She¡¯d shown me kindness but hadn¡¯t tried to help me or get me released. I cursed my foolishness and spun to face Rider.

    ¡°Well? What are you waiting for? Get out of here!¡± I snapped.

    ¡°You¡¯re going to get yourself killed.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s my choice!¡±

    ¡°This is war, Ginny. Sometimes you can¡¯t win and you have to accept reality and move on,¡± he said softly.

    ¡°Or maybe you¡¯re just a coward,¡± I hissed. ¡°I¡¯ll see you never!¡±

    I turned on my heels and started walking back the way we¡¯d come.

    ¡°Where are you going?¡± he called.

    ¡°To the prison!¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re going the wrong way.¡± He cursed. ¡°Fine! Get in. Ginny! I said get in.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m done obeying your orders.¡± I stopped.

    ¡°I said I¡¯ll help you, now come on. That¡¯s the wrong way.¡±

    ¡°You didn¡¯t say that,¡± I retorted, grumbling.

    ¡°Just get in the dang jeep! Every conversation with you is a battle.¡±

    I huffed and returned to my seat, hugging my pack as he pulled back onto the road.

    We traveled in silence for a time. The hills and fields look so peaceful here, then a burned-out building turned up with bomb craters marred the countryside. We passed abandoned vehicles and slowed to drive around a few bomb craters on the road. All reminders of the war.

    ¡°I hate war,¡± I said.

    ¡°Yeah.¡±

    I fiddled with my wrist computer and tuned out the world. My gadgets made sense. The fighting and killing was so pointless. Why couldn¡¯t people just live peacefully with each other? Because people suck, Ginny. I knew that better than most. Abandoned at birth, struggling to survive the orphanage with bullies stealing my food. Then at ten on the streets when I¡¯d run away. Living off the charity of soup kitchens and sleeping behind a dumpster in some cardboard boxes.

    I wouldn¡¯t wish my life on my worst enemy. How many homeless children had this war created? People were the worst. Some had shown me kindness over the years, but that was a rarity. Athena was one of those rare people and I repaid my debts, at least to my friends. As for the rest of the world? It was for the taking.

    ¡°Call Pegasus,¡± I ordered.

    ¡°No, they will be waiting for that. SOP is no calls after a raid like this.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s because your encryption sucks. I¡¯ve got you covered. They could spend two years and never trace this call. Now call him.¡±

    He looked at me for a long moment.

    ¡°Trust me¡ªlook out!¡± I cried.

    He swerved around a crater and we bounced through a field and back onto the road.

    ¡°Blast it! Eyes on the road!¡± I released my death grip from the handle above the door.

    ¡°Sorry.¡±

    ¡°Call him.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll stop up ahead to refuel. I¡¯ll do it there.¡±

    A short time later we pulled into a gas station. He started filling it and I went in to stretch and use the bathroom. We picked up some supplies and met back at the vehicle.

    ¡°Use this encryption. It will hack his device and update his encryption so the call will be secured on both ends.¡±

    ¡°You can do that?¡±

    ¡°Of course, I¡¯m a genius.¡±

    He made the call and after a lot of convincing, Pegasus finally agreed to meet.

 Chapter 8

    The plan was set. We were in position and ready to go. I was not happy. Mostly because of the ¡®we¡¯ part. I wasn¡¯t going in alone like we¡¯d originally planned. That cramped my style and more importantly, made me more exposed. The others disagreed, arguing that we had a better chance with two people. That¡¯s why Rider was lying beside me on the damp dew-covered hill overlooking the security fence around the prison.

    The night before I¡¯d made preparations of my own. Bob was still in orbit and Arby was tirelessly working away, gathering scrap and making parts to repair the Shadow Hunter. I wasn¡¯t a fool. This operation was risky. The security was no joke and I couldn¡¯t just hack the system like I¡¯d originally planned. They didn¡¯t reply fully on their computers and electronics here. No, they had redundancies. People couldn¡¯t be hacked. At least not with my tool kit. I didn¡¯t know anything about psycho-brain stuff.

    While we waited, another cell was preparing a distraction. An explosion at a nearby radar installation should cause enough panic so they called for reinforcement. The prison had a garrison and their excess personnel would be called away. Rider assured me their standing orders required them to assist in the event of an emergency.

    Despite the damp ground, I was too keyed up to be cold. I always got a little jittery before a job. This was a little outside my wheelhouse. I¡¯d never stolen people before. Though I wasn¡¯t really stealing them, just helping them escape.

    Rider had a big duffle bag with two plastic cases inside. Both were full of weapons and I had the honor of carrying two cases full of ammo. Lovely. I¡¯d taken the liberty of taping them up so the metal wouldn¡¯t bang loudly every time it hit something. Even the handles tended to clank when touched or were otherwise moved.

    A ¡®Boom¡¯ sounded in the distance. A flash of light illuminated the horizon. Showtime!

    ¡°Relax,¡± Rider whispered. ¡°It will be another half hour before the activity dies down.¡±

    He was right. The alarm sounded and soldiers hurried about. Vehicles were prepped and loaded. Fifteen minutes later the convoy departed from the main gate and things quieted down. We had to give them time to leave, just in case we were discovered prematurely. Finally, Rider tapped my shoulder.

    ¡°Okay, anytime you¡¯re ready.¡±

    It was my show now. I was in charge of the infiltration. I took a final look at the soldiers watching the perimeter. It was the dead of night and they weren¡¯t very alert. The elite presidents guard, they were not. Or whatever the local rules equivalent was. It didn¡¯t matter, they were bored and tired. That made for less-than-optimal mental faculties.

    I stayed low as I lugged the ammo cans toward the fence. There was a blind spot between two guard towers and I¡¯d time our approach to thread the needle between their roving patrols. Once we reached the fence, we hit the ground and froze until the next pair passed. They were chatting quietly and didn¡¯t look in our direction.

    Rider rose to a crouch beside me as we both pulled out our cutters. He worked down from the top and I worked up from the bottom. We cut through half a minute and he held the fence back as I slipped inside and pulled our gear through then he joined me and we hurried to hide. There wasn¡¯t much cover to choose from. Just a swampy ditch next to the perimeter road. I slipped into the stagnant water, thankful once more for the body suit. It kept the water out with no problems. Rider wasn¡¯t so lucky but he didn¡¯t complain. From there we crawled through the water. Ten yards up the ditch we stopped and waited for the patrol to pass.

    I scanned the guard towers after they passed, when both guards had turned away, I tapped Rider¡¯s shoulder and bolted for the nearby building. I stumbled but kept my feet, then I was at the hedges. They were overgrown and it was a tight squeeze but I crawled between them. Wincing as twigs scraped my face and poked at my eyes.

    Rider crawled between a pair to my left and then we reached the wall. So far so good. I¡¯d expected Rider to ruin my night by now, but he moved quickly and quietly. We worked our way slowly along the building. It was strenuous hauling the ammo cans as I crawled on my belly as quietly as possible. I also kept an eye on the guards and patrols pausing whenever the patrols got close.

    We finally rounded the corner and got out of sight of the tower guards. I stood and pulled myself up to one of the windows. I pulled a glass cutter out of my pouch and attached it to the window. It made a perfectly circular cut. I attached a suction cup handle to the piece and finished scoring it. Once it was removed I opened the window and crawled inside. According to the blueprints, this was the library. Sure enough, I saw shelves of dusty books lining the shelves.

    Apparently, the new management doesn¡¯t think much about its prisoner''s literacy rate. The place didn¡¯t look like it had been touched in months. Probably since the war started. Or at least since the Southern Block had taken control of the prison.

    Rider passed the ammo cans and duffle full of weapons up to me. Then I helped him up. Not that he needed it. The man was quick and quiet. If I didn¡¯t know better I¡¯d have wondered if he was a thief before the war. His attitude toward my chosen profession made it clear he wasn¡¯t though. Not that he disdained me, Rider had a grudging acceptance and dare I say respect for me or at least my skills. So far he¡¯d vastly outstripped my expectations of him.

    ¡°Well, I got us inside,¡± I whispered. ¡°You¡¯re up.¡±

    This is where Rider was supposed to take over. He hesitated. ¡°The prisoners are kept in the holding cells across from the central courtyard. Can you get us closer?¡±

    I rolled my eyes. ¡°Do you want a pizza with that too?¡±

    ¡°Please. I¡¯d like mine with stuffed crust.¡±

    Well, duh, that¡¯s the best. ¡°That costs extra.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll double your salary.¡±

    ¡°Great, I¡¯ll make double zero,¡± I sassed back.

    ¡°Hush, you volunteered.¡±

    ¡°I regret it already.¡± I didn¡¯t. I was fully invested now. ¡°Come on.¡±

    According to the plans, there was a basement that connected to the next building over. Why they needed underground access from the library to the chapel I had no idea. Maybe to prevent prisoners from crossing in the open? They had a fence and guards. It made no sense. The prison was old though, so things may have been repurposed. It got us to the next building over without a hitch. From here things would be dicey. The central courtyard was wide open and there were guards stationed around the place and roving patrols moving about.

    No convenient ditch was around and the hedges stopped well short of the central courtyard. I looked for a workaround but nothing jumped out at me. The roof was out. Guards were stationed up there.

    The buildings were six stories. With guards above and below, the only way I could see us crossing was using the cables that ran between buildings on the fourth floor. To get from the building we were into the holding cells, we needed to cross one of the streets leading into the courtyard. On the fourth floor, we should be low enough that the roof guards wouldn¡¯t see us, and God willing, high enough that the guards below wouldn¡¯t notice us. People rarely looked up.

    I led Rider up into the chapel. The chapel building was a large rectangular block building just like the rest of the prison¡¯s buildings. Most of the higher floors were used as office space, administration stuff, and the like. I glanced into several rooms before finding the correct one. The cables running between the two buildings should hold my weight. I¡¯d used this trick before. Rider was bigger. I might need to string our rope across for him. I hoped not. That would take time and increase our risk of discovery.

    ¡°I¡¯ll go first¡­ will this hold you?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Maybe. But the gear isn¡¯t light.¡±

    I grimaced. That would make this challenging. ¡°Give me the duffle.¡±

    He complied and slung the strap over my head. Then I lifted the ammo cans and placed them on the windowsill.

    ¡°Please don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re going to carry all that while balancing across a flimsy cable.¡±

    ¡°Look, you have your skills, and I have mine. Just be ready to hand the ammo to me when I¡¯m ready.¡±

    I gulped as I climbed out the window and onto a narrow ledge. The cables were four feet to my left, and getting there with my hands full was going to be a challenge. I paused to look below. The height didn¡¯t bother me, but those guards did. None of them were paying attention. One was smoking a cigarette and another was scratching his butt. I pressed ahead.

    I found a good handhold and then took the ammo cans one at a time and placed them by my feet on the ledge. Then I squared up on the cable, picked the cans, and started across. My heart was pounding wildly. It was exhilarating and terrifying. I did have good balance but I¡¯d never tried something this sketchy before.

    The cable bounced and shifted, trying to throw me off. Every step caused it to jiggle but I kept my elbows out and knees bent. The ammo cans threatened to pull me off balance and the duffle wasn¡¯t evenly balanced forcing me to lean to my left the entire time. I loved every moment of it.

    The final three feet I covered in a hop and the cans hit the small ledge with a muffled thump. I was so glad I¡¯d wrapped them in tape. My face was flushed and I glanced back at my partner in crime with a wide grin. That was awesome! I waved for him to join me and let the tremble in my hands run their course.

    Rider waited until the cable had stopped swaying before he carefully started over. Seeing him moving, I navigated the ledge and found a window. I cut my way in with my tools and Rider joined me with the ammo cans. The room was a small storage space. It was cramped with the two of us.

    He whispered to me. ¡°That was intense.¡±

    ¡°You mean awesome,¡± I replied.

    ¡°You¡¯re crazy!¡±

    I snickered. Footsteps echoed in the hall outside and I froze. I put a figure to my lips but Rider had already heard it. We waited in tense anticipation, but they continued without breaking stride.

    I grinned again. I really had the best job ever. ¡°Your move, Rider.¡±

    He nodded and signaled me for the duffle. He opened the cases inside and pulled out the weapons. Most were pistols but there were a few rifles and grenades. He¡¯d come prepared to cause some havoc. I handed him clips for the weapons from the ammo cans and he loaded the weapons. Then we waited for the guard to circle back. After he passed I peeked out and saw the cell block.If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement.

    ¡°Where is the control room?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Should be at the end of the hall. I¡¯ll handle the guard when he comes back around. Then we need to get there ASAP. It¡¯s got an electronic lock. Are you sure you can handle it?¡±

    ¡°Sure. Piece of cake.¡± I held up my wrist computer. ¡°I¡¯ve already hacked it.¡±

    ¡°What? When? How did you even get access? It¡¯s a closed system.¡±

    I snorted. ¡°A girl has to have some secrets.¡± I love quantum physics. Not that I really understood them. Connecting to a secured system was impossible for Radon, and most planets in the cosmos, but the Triv were quite advanced. Bob also suggested some tips and I modified the software accordingly last night. When you could link to a computer in real-time with a quantum connection from across the galaxy, finding a back door in an outdated low-tech closed system was child¡¯s play. The code was riddled with holes I could exploit. I didn¡¯t need a transmitter to send and receive data, the wrist computer handled all of that. All I needed was to feed it some information.

    ¡°Then as soon as I take out the guard, you open the cells.¡± He paused. ¡°You¡¯re sure it will work?¡±

    I nodded.

    ¡°Okay, then get ready. Things are going to get crazy.¡±

    And bloody. I busied myself looking for Athena¡¯s cell. The prison''s computer asked for a password but I bypassed it and found the information I wanted. She was in solitary confinement after intensive questioning. They better not have hurt her. I felt my anger rising as I thought about it.

    The guard returned and Rider tensed like a spring. As footsteps passed the door, he exploded into motion. The door flew open and Rider was on the guard in a heartbeat. I triggered the computer to unlock every cell in the prison block. Rider killed the guard then a tone sounded and every cell door slid open.

    ¡°Corinthians, to me!¡± Rider bellowed loud enough to wake the dead. He then scrambled back to the window and fired a flare into the sky. That was the signal for the rest of the cell waiting on the perimeter to commence their attack. It was mostly a distraction. All they had to do was draw attention away from us and get the trucks into position for our exfil. With most of the garrison out responding to the attack on the radar installation, we actually should have the advantage in numbers if you counted all the prisoners. We couldn¡¯t bring in enough weapons for all of them though, and what we could bring were mostly sidearms.

    Inside, that was to our advantage, but as we made our escape in the open, we¡¯d be exposed. That¡¯s why I had Arby standing by with my salvage ship. He¡¯d finished the repairs and Bob could help the RB unit fly it if necessary, but I wasn¡¯t leaving my fate in the hands of the rebels. They probably would keep their word and let me go, but why risk it? Better to have my own exit strategy, just in case. I sent an alert to Bob aboard Shadow Hunter and Arby and then hurried to help direct the freed prisoners. I grabbed the first prisoner I saw and ordered him to pass out the weapons and then ran for the steps down to the basement. That¡¯s where they kept the prisoners in solitary confinement. Athena would be there and I hadn¡¯t come this whole way just to leave her there.

    Rider was organizing his people as I ran past. Gunshots were going off outside and the chaos was spreading. I¡¯d just entered the stairwell when shots rang out behind me. The prisoners were fighting back.

    At the bottom of the stairs I found a dead guard, a thin wiry man slammed his shiv into the dead man''s chest repeatedly. Athena was leaning against the wall outside her cell. I hardly recognized her. Her face was a bruised and bloody mess, and she looked ready to collapse. A tall broad-shouldered fellow stood in front of her facing off against three thugs who sneered at him and leered at Athena.

    Blast. They keep common criminals in here too, not just rebels and political prisoners.

    I pulled my laser pistol. ¡°You three, get out of my way!¡± I ordered.

    The murderer with the shiv looked up and his twisted face turned to one of glee. ¡°Boss, look. Another girl! She¡¯s a pretty one too!¡±

    ¡°I said, stand aside. Look, you''re free, just go.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll go when we are good and ready,¡± the one I pegged as the leader said. ¡°First we¡¯re going to have a little fun with you two.¡± He looked back at the man opposing them. ¡°Don¡¯t you have a rebellion to go help?¡±

    ¡°Just shoot them, there is no reasoning with people like him,¡± the man with Rose told me.

    I probably should have listened to him. He had a familiar look to him. I was distracted trying to place it when the shiv-wielding maniac rushed me.

    ¡°Stop!¡± I screamed.

    I wasn¡¯t ready to kill someone and that was my mistake. The man ignored me. He slammed into me and the next thing I knew, I was on the ground and my head was ringing. He was on top of me leering down at me. He let out a laugh.

    ¡°I get first dibs!¡± he declared.

    I¡¯d lost my sidearm in the fall but I still had my wits. I triggered my suit to close up and the hood deployed from the neck enclosing me completely. I activated my backup plan with the comm in my helmet but there wasn¡¯t much else I could do.

    ¡°What the freak?¡± the man atop me demanded as he recoiled in surprise.

    I tried to dislodge him but he wasn¡¯t to be moved.

    ¡°Get off her, you animal!¡±

    I finally figured out where I recognized the other guy from. Or rather the family resemblance. It wasn¡¯t a perfect match, but he spoke the same way as Rider did.

    ¡°How do I get this thing off you?¡± the man demanded. He put his shiv to my throat. ¡°Take it off or I¡¯ll cut you.¡±

    ¡°Got to hell!¡± I shouted.

    He pressed the knife harder but the suit hardened. He tried to slash and then stab but had no luck. He punched me in the face next and cursed as he hurt his hand.

    I started squirming and landed a solid punch before he pinned my arms. Rider¡¯s brother made a move while they were distracted with me though. He downed two of them before the leader leveled my pistol at him.

    ¡°I warned you to sod off,¡± the boss said. He pulled the trigger but nothing happened.

    ¡°What the heck?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s keyed to my DNA asshole!¡± I supplied for him, happy at his predicament.

    Rider¡¯s brother pounced. It was like watching a professional MMA fighter take on a punching bag. Even though the boss man was bigger and stronger, he was entirely outclassed. A quick pair of jabs set up an uppercut that knocked his teeth loose. Then a snap kick crushed the family jewels. When the man bent forward in agony, he was caught in a headlock under the arm and his windpipe was constricted. An elbow to the back of the neck snapped his neck and dropped him forever.

    The shiv wielder ran for it but he was gunned down from above. Rider waltzed in with a rifle taken from one of the guards.

    ¡°Brother!¡± He rushed forward and the two embraced. It was a sweet reunion. I hurried over to Athena. She¡¯d collapsed on the floor once the thugs were down and I knelt beside her. She looked bad but she¡¯d be fine. So long as we could get her out of here.

    ¡°I see you¡¯ve met Ginny. Hey, this is my brother. He goes by Viper.¡±

    ¡°Ginny? Well met!¡± Viper nodded to me.

    ¡°Nice to meet you, now if you don¡¯t mind, I could use a hand. Are you alright Athena?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m fine. I didn¡¯t tell them anything,¡± she said her lips were swollen and she could barely see through the swelling around her eyes.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about that now. We¡¯re going to get you out,¡± I said. ¡°Boys, come on!¡±

    Viper hurried over. ¡°We¡¯ve got you, Athena. Come on.¡± He looked over at his brother. ¡°I trust there is a plan to get out of here, right?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, let¡¯s go.¡±

    I looked over at Viper. He was even better looking than his brother.

    ¡°Pleased to meet you,¡± I said.

    ¡°Oh, the pleasure is all mine,¡± he said with a roguish grin.

    I found myself smiling back at him. ¡°Can I have my pistol back?¡±

    ¡°Sure. Are you planning on using it by chance?¡±

    ¡°No, but I¡¯d still like to have it.¡±

    ¡°Maybe I should keep it then. I could use it.¡±

    ¡°Except you can¡¯t, it¡¯s keyed so only I can use it.¡± I¡¯d fixed that after getting it back from Rider. It seemed sensible after he¡¯d pointed it at my head. I hadn¡¯t even thought about its built-in DNA lock feature until later and activated it. Now I was glad I did.

    ¡°Not really the time or place,¡± Athena muttered.

    ¡°She¡¯s right. We need to move,¡± Rider said.

    Viper and I helped Athena and together we all headed back up. The scene was very different from a few minutes before. Dead bodies, guards mostly, littered the entrance. Bullet marks and holes were everywhere and at least one grenade had destroyed a chunk of the block wall. Most of the prisoners were gone too, already on the way to the rendezvous point. A firefight was ongoing outside and a machine gun blasted away in short bursts.

    Rider picked off a wounded soldier on the way, and Viper took up his weapon. We linked up with the tail end of the freed prisoners and made it to the gap blown in the fence without opposition. The trucks were waiting but I had other plans.

    Bob and Arby were circling overhead. I sent an order for them to land nearby but just as I was helping Athena into the truck a pair of soldiers opened fire on us. A rocket-propelled grenade exploded nearby, mangling several prisoners and a burst of gunfire tore across my position. Two rounds hit me in the chest but were stopped by my suit. I stumbled back.

    ¡°Anyone hit? Athena!¡± Even as I asked I looked around and saw she¡¯d been shot through the butt. Viper was clipped in the shoulder and Rider was thrown to the ground by the explosion.

    Moonbeam poked her head out of the back of the truck and saw Rider was down.

    ¡°Rider!¡± she cried and rushed over to him.

    Athena was in shock. Viper turned and gunned down the soldiers.

    ¡°Are you okay?¡± he asked. ¡°Is everyone¡ªAthena!¡±

    Everything was in chaos. It was like North Star, John, all over again. A gut wound. Her shirt was soaked with blood. ¡°Put pressure on it!¡± I screamed hysterically. She was the only one who¡¯d been nice to me. Rider wasn¡¯t bad, but he¡¯d captured me in the first place. After watching John bleed out in front of me, I was not ready to see it again. Certainly not a friend.

    ¡°Bob! Get in here now!¡± I shouted.

    ¡°The ship will be detected if I land at your location,¡± Bob said in my ear mic which only I could hear.

    ¡°Ginny, are you okay?¡± Viper asked. ¡°Who¡¯s Bob?¡± His concern was easy to hear but I was too frazzled to care.

    ¡°Contact!¡± someone screamed, then let off a burst of gunfire.

    Viper slapped my hand onto Athena¡¯s stomach, ¡°Hold this!¡± he said before turning to join the fight.

    ¡°I¡­ I¡¯m¡ª¡± Athena was lying on her back, just like John.

    I was crying again. ¡°Shush now. It¡¯s going to be okay. Just hang on.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m holy now,¡± she finally managed.

    I hiccuped as I sobbed. Only Athena could find humor in a time like this. ¡°Don¡¯t try to talk,¡± I croaked.

    ¡°Help me get him loaded!¡± Moonbeam screamed. Two men moved to help her. Rider was unconscious.

    A burst of fire ripped through the air beside me and I flinched even though I had my suit to protect me. It stitched through the truck and the engine sputtered and died.

    A grenade blew the attacker''s position away but the damage was done.

    ¡°Move the wounded to the other truck!¡±

    ¡°There is no time!¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ve got to move now!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not leaving him!¡± Moonbeam shouted. She stood and glared back at the man. A shot took her in the shoulder, spinning her around before she hit the ground.

    The soldier cursed and dove for the ground. The prison guards were getting organized now. They were soldiers, part of the occupation forces. The longer we stayed the worse it would get.

    ¡°Bob, get down here now! If someone shoots at me, take them out!¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ve got to go!¡± Viper said. ¡°Come on, Ginny!¡±

    ¡°Not without Athena!¡±

    ¡°We can¡¯t save them all!¡± He shouted even as he scooped Athena up. A shot slammed into his back. He staggered but stayed on his feet. He passed the smoking truck while letting out a string of curses.

    I stepped behind him, shielding him with my body as best I could, then Arby arrived with the scavenger ship and everything changed in a heartbeat. It wooshed overhead raining death from the skies. The guard towers were vaporized in a flash of light. I don¡¯t know if the RB unit was flying or Bob was, but they climbed for the sky and bathed the center of the prison in the jet wash. The roar of the engines drowned everything out. Rebels and prison guard soldiers alike scattered.

    I let out a cheer as the ship turned to make another pass even as the turret let out a series of blasts that tore the administration building apart and moved on to the guard barracks. Both buildings suffered the same fate. Then the ship came in for a landing, flaring the nose to kill its speed. It landed hard. I could feel the ground shake fifty yards away, but it was a controlled landing.

    ¡°Heck yeah!¡± I shouted. ¡°This way!¡± I ran toward the ship with Viper behind me carrying Athena. Arby met me at the ramp.

    ¡°Help the wounded,¡± I told him.

    Then I ran back to help Moonbeam while Arby carried Rider. The rest of the rebels and prisoners had fled in the other trucks. I did find another injured man and Viper carried him despite being wounded himself.

    Once we were all aboard, Arby took off. ¡°Where to, Captain?¡±

    ¡°Take us home.¡±

    Arby nodded his metal head and we flew toward the stars.

 Chapter 9

    The flight back to Shadow Hunter was a tense affair. I was still in fight or flight mode as I scrambled to get things ready for my injured and uninvited house guests.

    ¡°Prep the medical bay, Bob.¡±

    ¡°We aren¡¯t set up to treat trauma patients, Captain. As I¡¯ve said before. All the drugs have expired. The only option is nanobots.¡±

    ¡°Well, get those ready then!¡±

    ¡°Do you want a kill switch installed on them?¡±

    ¡°What?¡± I shrieked. I was glad only I could hear Bob¡¯s responses.

    ¡°To shut the nanobots down after finishing their task, Captain. Not kill the host.¡±

    I cursed. ¡°Fine! Don¡¯t scare me like that.¡±

    ¡°Ginny, what¡¯s going on,¡± Viper asked. ¡°I think you have some explaining to do.¡±

    I waved him off, ignoring his question for now. I didn¡¯t want to explain. I didn¡¯t want to reveal my ship either. I also had to think up what to say. For now, I had more pressing concerns. Athena was dying and I needed to get her medical attention as quickly as I could. Or so I thought. I really didn¡¯t know, but with John¡¯s death fresh in my mind, I wasn¡¯t taking any chances. I didn¡¯t have time to answer annoying questions.

    ¡°I¡¯ll have five injections ready and waiting, Captain.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, Bob. Lock down the rest of the ship, I don¡¯t want the house guests wandering.¡±

    ¡°Shall I have the security bots meet you when you land?¡±

    ¡°What? What security bots?¡± I demanded.

    I noticed Viper giving Arby a long critical look. He was still hovering over my shoulder.

    ¡°When you didn¡¯t return as planned, I grew concerned, Captain. As per my standing orders. To keep you safe and assist you, it''s part of my duties to make sure I have the means to meet my mission parameters. I had Arby fly materials up to the ship to manufacture four security bots while you were away.¡±

    ¡°Oh¡­ that¡¯s great.¡± The security bots that I¡¯d first mistaken as war bots were a little terrifying. Even if they were working for me I¡¯d always associate them with the killer machines that had tried to kill me. They would be helpful though. Even if they did give me the creeps.

    ¡°Thank you, Captain. I was worried my actions wouldn¡¯t meet with your approval. I also requisitioned resources to make repairs to our main weapons systems. More materials will be needed to restore full function, but one of the point defense cannons is back online, giving the ship a small measure of defense.¡±

    ¡°Okay, that makes sense. What else did you do?¡±

    ¡°Ginny?¡±

    ¡°Not now Viper, I¡¯ll explain everything¡­ well, some¡­ later. Once everyone is safe.¡±

    ¡°We need a doctor. Unless I¡¯m mistaken we aren¡¯t heading to a hospital. I¡¯d like an explanation.¡±

    Given the circumstances, that was fair. The planet was falling away below us and all he could see was the starry sky. Then the sun came into view as we got far enough from the planet.

    ¡°We¡¯re going to my spaceship.¡±

    ¡°Do you have a doctor?¡±

    ¡°Not exactly, but what I do have is even better. I think.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t know?¡± he pressed.

    ¡°Look! None of this was in my plans, nor was rescuing you or getting involved in your war! Now sit down and stop bothering me. I have a lot to do and most of it is for your injured people back there!¡±

    He was a lot like his brother Rider. ¡°Very well then, Ginny. Just let me know how I can help.¡±

    Okay, he was a lot less annoying actually.

    I huffed out a breath and some of the building stress went with it. ¡°Thank you¡­ how¡¯s Athena? Is she¡­¡±

    ¡°She¡¯ll be fine so long as she gets some medical treatment in the next few days.¡±

    Days? I was surprised. John seemed to bleed out a lot faster. Maybe she wasn¡¯t hit as badly. As I thought about it I realized John had been shot before he reached us with the news. He ran God only knows how far, and exerted himself, aggravating the wound the whole time. Of course, Athena wasn¡¯t as bad off. They were also keeping pressure on it to stanch the bleeding, which John likely hadn¡¯t had the luxury of doing. She¡¯s going to be okay.

    The last of my panic faded. I felt myself warming to Viper a lot faster than I¡¯d expected. He¡¯d proved himself reliable in the short time I¡¯d known him. Defending Athena, and looking after both of us through the fighting. He didn¡¯t even harp on me much for not shooting the thugs when we¡¯d met. He kept his cool under pressure too. I liked that.

    ¡°We¡¯re on approach. Strap in if you can.¡± I sent the clearance codes, a precaution I¡¯d added to avoid anyone repeating my feat to gain access to the ship, and the hangar doors opened.

    A few minutes later we landed and I opened the rear ramp. ¡°Follow the security bots.¡±

    ¡°What the heck are those?¡± Moonbeam demanded.

    Her shoulder had a cloth tied around it to stop the bleeding and I could see the pain in her eyes, but she was still cantankerous. Lock a captor in the bathroom one time and they never forgive you.

    ¡°They are machines programmed to provide security for the ship.¡±

    ¡°Your ship?¡± she asked.

    ¡°Yes. Now if you¡¯re through with the questions, some of your friends need medical attention.¡±

    She scowled but her grip tightened on Rider¡¯s hand. I wondered if he knew the woman was in love with him. If he did, I¡¯d seen no sign of it.

    ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡± I asked the other freedom fighter we¡¯d picked up.

    ¡°You can call me Salamander.¡±

    I sighed. ¡°You people and your fake names,¡± I muttered. He used his liberated rifle as a crutch, supporting his injured leg. A belt was cinched above the wound. Viper carried his brother Rider and I supported Athena with Moonbeam''s help.

    Bob had a hand cart waiting. ¡°Thanks, Bob.¡±

    ¡°Of course, Captain.¡±

    ¡°Who¡¯s Bob?¡± Salamander asked.

    I ignored his question. He didn¡¯t press me on it. He, like all the others, was looking around the hangar in awe. It hadn¡¯t really sunk in for them yet that they were in space, but this was driving the point home. I felt a tinge of sadness for them. This was probably the dream of a lifetime for them and it was overshadowed by pain and injuries. Some of them had probably lost friends in the fighting too. If not tonight, then certainly during the war in general.

    They will be off my ship by morning, I decided. Any general worth his salt could see the advantages to controlling space, and I wasn¡¯t giving up my ship, nor was I a mercenary. I didn¡¯t even like fighting. I couldn¡¯t even kill a murdering rapist when he was charging me. Maybe that was pathetic, he certainly deserved it, it just wasn¡¯t me. I didn¡¯t want that on my conscience. Did ordering the ship to fire on the enemy count? I shivered as I pushed the hand cart with Atheana and Samamader on it toward the infirmary.Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

    Viper carried Rider and Moombean stayed by his side the whole way. Bob had the medical bay lit and ready to go. The dust from my first visit was gone and an RB unit was standing by the door to assist if necessary. The security bots escorted us and took up position by the door.

    ¡°Okay Bob, walk me through this,¡± I muttered.

    He obliged me. ¡°Have them lay down one at a time on the medical bed. I have added a second one to the build queue by the way. Once they are lying down, the bed will take over as you¡¯ve experienced previously.

    ¡°Put her on the bed,¡± I told Viper.

    He grunted and lifted Athena. She gasped as his movements disturbed her gut wound.

    The calm feminine voice sounded as it took over. ¡°Please lay still while you¡¯re being treated.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± Athena asked.

    ¡°Just do as instructed,¡± I said. ¡°You¡¯ll be fine.¡± I was much less confident than I sounded but she didn¡¯t move as the needle injected her with nanobots.

    ¡°What¡¯s it doing?¡± Viper asked. ¡°Where is everyone? This place feels like a ghost ship.¡±

    ¡°It is, well, minus the ghosts. It¡¯s injecting her with some, um, medicine.¡±

    They all looked at me. I took an unconscious step back. ¡°What are you looking at me like that for?¡±

    ¡°You aren¡¯t a very good liar,¡± Viper said.

    Moonbeam put her hand on her gun. Not good. I didn¡¯t want a fight. Salamander was still looking around the ship, oblivious to the growing tension.

    ¡°Captain, I¡¯d advise you to raise your hood and seal your suit.¡±

    ¡°I want an explanation, Ginny. If that¡¯s even your name,¡± Moonbeam said, glaring daggers at me.

    ¡°It will help her heal. That¡¯s all. Just calm down, sheesh.¡±

    ¡°What is it?¡± she growled.

    ¡°Moonbeam, just¡­ stop.¡± Athena said. ¡°Viper, I think you better take her weapon.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯d like to know too,¡± Viper said. He waved for Moonbeam to stand down and then looked over at me.

    ¡°There you go, please help her to her quarters to make room for the next patient,¡± the medical bed said.

    ¡°That¡¯s it? But you didn¡¯t even do anything?¡± Moonbeam shouted.

    ¡°I¡¯ve administered a nanobot treatment to heal her injuries. Please move her to a more comfortable location so she can recover,¡± the bed said.

    ¡°Nano-what?¡±

    ¡°Nanobots,¡± I said with a weary sigh. I walked over to help her up. Athena had passed out, or there was a sedative in the injection needle that I wasn¡¯t aware of. ¡°Now isn¡¯t the time for explanations. Who¡¯s next?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t touch her!¡± Moonbeam snapped.

    She pushed me away. I brought my hood up immediately as she blocked my path.

    ¡°Moon, stop it. She¡¯s only sleeping.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t know that! What if that''s her plan, knock us all out and then turn us in? You weren¡¯t there when we caught her. She gave some bullshit story about stealing. She was in their frinkin¡¯ HQ!¡±

    ¡°And now we are on my spaceship, why would I care about some stupid war on some useless planet? I have no desire to get involved in your war! Athena was nice to me so I¡¯m repaying that kindness. You can jump out the airlock for all I care.¡±

    ¡°A spaceship would be quite the access, Viper,¡± Salamander offered.

    ¡°Yes! We should take it! She¡¯s a thief, probably stole it anyway.¡±

    ¡°Hey! I didn¡¯t steal it! ¡­I found it.¡±

    ¡°We aren¡¯t stealing anything,¡± Viper said. ¡°We¡¯re all injured and that¡¯s what we are here for. To be healed.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not getting into that thing! And I¡¯m not putting Rider in there either!¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not your decision to make,¡± Viper said.

    ¡°You¡¯ve lost it, Viper. Come on Salamander, you¡¯re with me, right?¡±

    ¡°Hell yeah, this ship could change the course of the war. Come on Viper, don¡¯t you see it? This is our chance. Did you see that ship level the prison? This ship has to be even more powerful.¡±

    Viper didn¡¯t look happy but I could see him considering it.

    ¡°Don¡¯t do this,¡± I said, hoping to talk him out of it.

    ¡°Do either of you know how to help Rider?¡± Viper asked.

    ¡°He¡¯s tough, he¡¯ll be fine. If he dies, well, he¡¯d say it was worth it to win the war,¡± Salamander replied.

    ¡°Yeah, he would.¡±

    I couldn¡¯t believe what I was hearing. I¡¯d risked my life for these people and freed some of them and here they were, talking about stealing my ship. I was hurt and angry. I still hoped for a peaceful resolution though. I¡¯d seen enough death already. The security bots would cut them into pieces. Literally.

    I could see the resignation on Viper¡¯s face. He knew what he had to do. And to think I was attracted to him. I could tell he didn¡¯t want to, but his whole planet was in chaos. It made sense.

    ¡°Put your weapons down, or the security bots will take them from you.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯d like to see them try!¡± Moonbeam snapped.

    Salamander snorted. ¡°You¡¯ll need an army of them to disarm me.¡±

    ¡°Bob, seal the room.¡± The doors closed. ¡°No one else can command this ship. You just went from guests to enemies. Which side are you on, Viper?¡±

    ¡°Will you help us free our home?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve already helped you people once and then you try to steal my ship. The answer is no.¡±

    ¡°What if we hired you?¡± he asked.

    ¡°Just force her to help us,¡± Moonbeam said. ¡°She¡¯d do whatever you say with a pistol to the head.¡±

    ¡°Are you still bitter about that? You tied me up and held me prisoner!¡±

    ¡°I should have just killed you. Rider wouldn¡¯t have gone on that stupid mission and gotten hurt then. No offense Viper.¡± I decided there was no point talking to her. She was off her rocker.

    ¡°Drop your weapons now,¡± I said.

    She cursed me and drew her pistol.

    ¡°Subdue her!¡± I shouted as the turrets deployed on the security bots. At the same time, Moonbeam fired. The round hit me in the stomach. I grunted and stumbled but it just made me mad.

    The bots closed in. Salamander opened fire. He hit the bot and it ricocheted off its chassis and hit Rider in the side.

    He fired twice more before the bot''s hand closed around the weapon and bent out of shape. The bots quickly disarmed them all, crushing the weapons so they couldn¡¯t ever be used again. Viper wisely dropped his gun.

    ¡°What now?¡± he asked.

    I hurried over to Rider. ¡°He¡¯s been hit! Help me get him onto the bed!¡±

    This time no one argued.

    ¡°SB units, take them to the brig.¡± I pointed at Salamander and Moonbeam. ¡°Wait. Bob? Do I have a brig?¡±

    ¡°It would be better to keep them under guard in one of the crew quarters, Captain.¡±

    ¡°Give them the injections and then do that.¡±

    Moonbeam was cursing me and Salamander now in equal measure. ¡°You shot him!¡± ¡°This is all your fault!¡±

    ¡°Give her a sedative too,¡± I ordered.

    ¡°Those drugs all expired.¡±

    I swore under my breath. Athena must have just passed out then.

    ¡°Get his feet,¡± Viper said.

    Once he was on the bed his treatment began. This time the voice described his injuries. Its main focus was his head injury. A moderate concussion.

    ¡°I¡¯ll kill you!¡± Moonbeam screamed at me.

    ¡°Get them out of here!¡± I shouted.

    The bots silently obeyed. Dragging the kicking and screaming woman away. Salamander went quietly.

    ¡°Finally,¡± I muttered.

    Viper looked down at his brother. At least I talked him out of something stupid. If not for his brother though¡­

    As if hearing my thoughts he said, ¡°Is he going to be okay?

    ¡°Treatment has been administered. Estimated time of recovery, three days.¡±

    Viper relaxed. ¡°Thank you, Ginny.¡±

    ¡°Sure. I¡¯m just glad you didn¡¯t do something stupid.¡± I gave him a meaningful look.

    ¡°It was tempting, but it¡¯s clear you know how this all works. I wouldn¡¯t have a clue how to operate the ship. It¡¯s better if you work with us willingly.¡± He smirked and I found it hard to resist a smile. ¡°Maybe Athena can talk you into it.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not going to happen,¡± I told him flatly. ¡°She showed me kindness. That¡¯s a rare thing in my experience, so I return the favor when I can. That¡¯s it. After you are healed up, I¡¯ll drop you off somewhere, then I¡¯m out of here.¡±

    ¡°Are you sure you won¡¯t change your mind?¡± he asked. ¡°Surely there is something you want.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not something you can give me,¡± I said.

    ¡°Not a family then,¡± he joked.

    ¡°That¡¯s not funny,¡± I snapped.

    He held up his hands in defense. ¡°I was only kidding.¡±

    I scowled. It didn¡¯t help that I found him attractive. That was not happening though. I didn¡¯t trust him. Even less so after what just happened. No sir. Maybe if he wasn¡¯t caught up in a war, but his priorities weren¡¯t the same as mine.

    I held up the syringe. ¡°Do you want me to stick you, or do you want to do it?¡±

    He snickered and coughed. ¡°I¡¯ll do it.¡±

    I stalked over to Athena to check on her. Thankfully he didn¡¯t make some lewd crack about my choice of words. I could see the twinkle in his eye though. I stifled a curse. Athena was sleeping peacefully on the floor. I had one of the security bots move her to one of the sleeping quarters once the RB units had cleared it.

    ¡°You¡¯re confined to quarters until further notice,¡± I told Viper.

    The RB units cleaned a room for him and started on several others while I headed to the bridge. ¡°Keep an eye on him,¡± I told Bob. ¡°And Athena. Let me know if she needs anything.¡± She was the only one who wasn¡¯t on my shit list.

    ¡°I¡¯m hungry,¡± I said and changed course to the galley. I was halfway there before I realized all I had to eat was that awful protein powder. My pack was somewhere around what was left of the prison.

 Chapter 10

    The next morning I paced back and forth on the bridge. Everyone was healing well but that was the only bright spot. I can¡¯t believe they even considered stealing my ship! I started implementing changes to my security aboard the ship. No one was going to take it from me. I was a thief. You didn¡¯t steal from a thief. It was an unspoken rule.

    ¡°Bob, what level of surveillance do you have aboard the ship?¡± I asked.

    ¡°I¡¯m linked to every part of the ship, Captain. My sonic sensors allow me to see and record everything that happens aboard the ship.¡±

    ¡°Everything? Even my quarters?¡±

    ¡°There is a block on my access to actively monitor or review what happens there, but it is still recorded, Captain.¡±

    ¡°Update those parameters, Bob. You now have permission to keep tabs on my room if anyone enters my room that isn¡¯t me¡­ Unless I tell you otherwise.¡±

    ¡°Even if you are in the room, Captain?¡± he asked.

    ¡°Yes.¡± I paused before turning back to continue my pacing. ¡°Have our guests said anything interesting?¡±

    ¡°Moonbeam has cursed your name seventeen times since she woke up this morning. Athena and Viper have both requested to speak with you and Salamander has started asking me questions about the ship. Should I answer them?¡±

    ¡°Better not. Tell Viper I¡¯ll see him shortly and I¡¯ll go see Athena first. She¡¯s the only one I trust of the bunch.¡±

    ¡°I told her you¡¯re on the way, Captain.¡±

    ¡°Thanks. Make sure everyone gets something to eat.¡±

    Athena was looking much better. Already the bruising on her face had gone down. It was still swollen and discolored but she could see and she only winced a little when she saw me and tried to smile.

    ¡°How¡¯s my holy friend?¡± I asked, returning her smile.

    ¡°Better, but it still hurts. Please don¡¯t make me laugh.¡±

    ¡°That is a hard ask. I¡¯m a funny girl,¡± I said.

    Her body was healing but it would take more than one night. I wasn¡¯t sure how long yet, but her body needed to recover the blood she¡¯d lost too. Her gut wound had started to shrink but it was going to take another day or two. Still, three or four days for a gunshot wound? That was impressive, even by Radon¡¯s standards.

    ¡°Ginny, what happened after I passed out? I asked, um, the ship''s computer?¡± I nodded. ¡°But it wouldn¡¯t tell me.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s because Moonbeam and Salamander tried to steal my ship. They are locked in similar rooms to this one with a security bot guarding the door.¡±

    ¡°Oh, um¡­ I see.¡± She bit her lip. ¡°Does that mean we are your prisoners now?¡±

    ¡°Not you. I can¡¯t imagine you¡¯d do something like that. Those two are confined to quarters, along with Viper. He was seriously considering it but things escalated before he decided, so unfortunately I can¡¯t really trust him either.¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s a good man,¡± Athena said. ¡°I¡¯d trust him with my life.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, well, I might do that too, but I don¡¯t trust him as far as I can throw him when it comes to my ship! And he¡¯s a big guy! Rider is still unconscious but he should be okay. Can¡¯t say I trust him either.¡±

    ¡°If you don¡¯t trust any of them, why are they still here?¡± Athena asked.

    ¡°They are hurt. I¡¯m not going to drop them off somewhere while injured. I¡¯m sorry you got shot,¡± I said.

    Athena waved it off. ¡°It wasn¡¯t your fault. It¡¯s war. It happens. Are we really on a spaceship? We all grew up with the colony ship stories, but they are just that, stories. No one really believes them. They seem too¡­ magical.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s so hard to believe about them?¡±

    ¡°They said it took over a hundred years to reach the planet. For a ship to hold enough supplies for that long for so many people, it would be so huge it would be problematic to move. Then you¡¯d need fuel to power the engines to move it on top of that, adding more weight. Just seems so unbelievable.¡±

    ¡°They probably used an early form of stasis and had a mule tow it up to cruising speed, that way it would only have to deal with slowing down at the destination and food would be less of a problem.¡± I shrugged it off. ¡°This ship isn¡¯t that big, but it isn¡¯t small either. I¡¯ll show you around once you¡¯re feeling better.¡±

    ¡°Thanks, your nanobot stuff is helping a lot already.¡±

    ¡°That''s good.¡± We both fell silent for a bit. I leaned toward her. ¡°Athena, Rose, are you okay? Did they¡­ hurt you badly?¡±

    ¡°How do you know my name?¡± she asked.

    ¡°John. Um, North Star¡­ he was shot when you were taken. He ran and warned us and the others but he¡­ he didn¡¯t make it. I¡¯m sorry.¡±

    ¡°No¡­ H-how did it happen?¡±

    I swallowed the lump in my throat. ¡°Gut wound, like you had but worse. It was bleeding a lot, and he couldn¡¯t keep pressure on it. He collapsed after we got away and I¡­¡± I swallowed hard. ¡°He died in my arms, he mentioned your name before he passed.¡±

    ¡°I knew him before the war. We grew up and attended school together.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± I said.

    She drew in a deep breath and winced. ¡°Yeah. Thanks for telling me.¡±

    ¡°Sure.¡±

    ¡°Hey, Ginny?¡± Athena said.

    ¡°Yeah?¡±

    ¡°Thanks for helping. I knew you would.¡±

    ¡°I only did it because of you.¡±This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.

    ¡°What?¡± Athena drew back in surprise.

    ¡°When I heard you got captured, it made me angry. You were¡­ kind to me. You had no reason to be but you showed me kindness just because. I don¡¯t see that often and experience it even less.¡±

    ¡°Kindness is an easy thing,¡± Athena said.

    ¡°And yet it¡¯s so rare,¡± I mused.

    ¡°Yes. You can only count on the kindness you bring with you. What everyone else does is on them. That¡¯s why I always give it. If I want the world to change, I have to show it how. That¡¯s why I always try to be kind to people.¡±

    ¡°You do a good job.¡± Our eyes met and in them, I caught a glimpse of something familiar. She hid it well but it was clear as day once I really looked. I¡¯d missed it before. Maybe it was the torture that brought it to the surface or maybe she was just opening up more but it stopped me cold. Whatever the reason, I recognized it plain as day now. It was the same thing I saw anytime I looked in the mirror, a deep-seated pain that clings to your very soul. It marks you, some past event, or just day-to-day life that wounds you and sinks into your soul. I felt a weight settle on my shoulders as we recognized that same thing in each other.

    Athena glanced away and blew out a heavy breath. ¡°Of course I do. I¡¯m awesome!¡±

    I laughed and she moaned when the pain hit after trying to do the same.

    ¡°Hey, that one is on you!¡± I said, holding up my hands in defense as I grinned.

    ¡°That¡¯s fair,¡± she said. ¡°I¡¯m just too funny for my own good.¡±

    ¡°And modest too,¡± I added sarcastically.

    ¡°Of course.¡± She nodded stoically and then grinned. It faded. ¡°Thanks for coming after me, Ginny.¡±

    ¡°Sure. I repay my debts.¡±

    ¡°Kindness isn¡¯t a debt that can be repaid. It can only be shared.¡±

    I wasn¡¯t sure what to say to that profound statement so I told her to heal up and departed. I had no idea how I¡¯d missed the deep wounds the girl hid in her past. She carried them well and her joy, kindness, and happy personality was nothing like what I¡¯d expect from someone like, well, me. I got by on sass and good looks. Well, and my mad skills, but I didn¡¯t really have friends.

    Maybe distancing myself from others was another defensive mechanism. I risk my hide to help them and they try to steal my ship! The thought triggered another wave of anger. People were the worst. They proved that to me every day. I cursed and headed to see what Viper wanted.

    The door chimed and I stepped back.

    ¡°Just a sec!¡± he called.

    He opened the door a moment later. My eyebrows rose as I took in his bare chest, glistening with sweat. He flipped his shirt over his shoulder and gave me a cocky grin.

    ¡°Hello, Ginny. Did you need something?¡± he asked.

    I shook myself. ¡°Oh! Um, yeah. So, you wanted to see me?¡± I glanced around his room, looking everywhere but at him. There was nothing but the basics. A bed, closet, and dresser. The room was bare, as expected.

    ¡°Yeah, you got showers on this ship?¡±

    ¡°Yeah. Did you want to get cleaned up?¡±

    ¡°I do. But that¡¯s not what I wanted to talk to you about.¡±

    ¡°Okay¡­¡± I found it hard not to stare. ¡°Do you mind putting a shirt on?¡±

    He chuckled and his smirk widened. ¡°Like what you see?¡±

    I rolled my eyes. ¡°Don¡¯t falter yourself.¡±

    He pulled his shirt on as he started talking. ¡°So I¡¯ve been thinking. You¡¯ve got this big ship, that¡¯s awesome by the way, I still can¡¯t believe I¡¯m in space. It¡¯s great. I think Salamander is living the dream, even if he is a prisoner.¡±

    ¡°Unwanted guest,¡± I said.

    ¡°Right. Anyway, I noticed you have several other ships in the hangar. If you could part with one of those¡­¡±

    ¡°No.¡±

    ¡°Or sell it.¡±

    ¡°No,¡± I repeated.

    ¡°Rent?¡±

    I sighed. ¡°Was there something else you needed or was parting from my property the only thing you wanted?¡±

    ¡°Hey, Corinth could use a ship like this, even that one we escaped in would tip the balance away from annexation. Our resistance cell might not be able to afford to pay you, but the government could. Think about it. All the money you want, gold, silver¡­ food? I¡¯m just saying, we could work out some kind of deal.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t make deals with people who try to steal from me,¡± I said coldly.

    ¡°Says the thief. Look, I was tempted to side with those two idiots, but I didn¡¯t. It would be wrong, even if the ends do justify the means, which I don¡¯t believe they do, your help would save a lot of lives. Good people like Rider and Athena. Please think about it. I mean just look at me,¡± he said, turning and pulling his shirt up so I could see the bullet hole. I was mostly healed. ¡°Those nanobots removed the bullet and I¡¯m nearly healed. It¡¯s only been hours. Just think of all the lives that could be saved.¡±

    ¡°Are these the lives of ¡®good¡¯ people who steal my things? Or the lives of the politicians whose policies start wars?¡± I asked. ¡°Do you think the common people and victims of this war will see any benefits if I gave you some? Your technology base is so far removed from what¡¯s required to produce them that your nation would never be able to supply them to anyone but the elite, and probably never would even if they could get away with keeping them to themselves. Certainly not in your lifetime! I don¡¯t plan on parking my ship in orbit here to supply you either so you can forget it.¡±

    ¡°Then help us advance our tech base.¡±

    ¡°I have no idea how to do that, besides, I don¡¯t trust you or your people with that knowledge.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re fighting for our freedom, Ginny.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t care what you¡¯re fighting for.¡± No one ever helped me when I was struggling to survive. ¡°I went out of my way to help you people already and you repaid me with betrayal.¡±

    ¡°That was Moonbeam and she¡¯s emotional because Rider¡¯s hurt.¡±

    ¡°What is Salamander¡¯s excuse?¡± I demanded.

    ¡°His entire family was killed in the war. What wouldn¡¯t you do to avenge your family?¡±

    ¡°My family left me on the sidewalk when I was a few weeks old. They can rot in a ditch for all I care,¡± I snapped. ¡°What¡¯s your excuse?¡±

    ¡°Hey, that¡¯s unfair. I didn¡¯t side with them,¡± he said.

    ¡°You thought about it. I could see it in your eyes.¡±

    ¡°Of course, I thought about it!¡± he snapped. ¡°That¡¯s my home down there getting overrun. What would you do to protect yours?¡±

    ¡°No idea. Never had one!¡±

    ¡°Your ship then!¡± he pressed.

    I stiffened. That hit closer to home. I¡¯d fight to keep it. No one was going to take it from me. I didn¡¯t even steal it. I found it and claimed it fair and square. Just the thought of someone trying to take it from me made me bristle. I hated the thought of killing, even in self-defense I wouldn¡¯t want to. I knew protecting myself was right. That I¡¯d be justified but I didn¡¯t want to live with the blood on my hands. Even if they deserved it. Still, if someone tried to take my ship I¡¯d stop them, even if it meant killing them.

    A national identity though was different. I didn¡¯t really understand why these people didn¡¯t just move. Their homeland was occupied by an invading force. They could just leave. Move someone else. I¡¯d never had a home before, or a sense of pride in my country. The government was more of an enemy, as much as an entity like that could be. I¡¯d always lived up to my name, traveling from one place to another like a gypsy.

    ¡°The answer is no.¡± I held up a hand to forestall his protests. ¡°I¡¯ll take you all back to the planet after you¡¯re healed, and we¡¯ll go our separate ways.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ve never been a part of something greater than yourself, have you?¡± he asked.

    ¡°In my experience, there are two kinds of people. Those who exploit people, and the exploited. Neither appeals to me.¡±

    He stared at me for a long moment. ¡°There are good people out there Ginny, communities that help each other just because it¡¯s the right thing to do. Those are the kind of people I¡¯m fighting for.¡±

    ¡°People like Athena are a rarity. I risked my life to help her and in return your people tried to steal my ship. I¡¯m better off alone.¡±

    He stared into my eyes. ¡°That sounds like a lonely way to live. How do you stand it?¡±

    ¡°Better than getting stabbed in the back,¡± I said. ¡°Besides. I¡¯m used to it by now. I don¡¯t need anybody else.¡± You can¡¯t depend on anyone but yourself.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry about Moon and Sal,¡± he said. ¡°I hope you find yourself a community someday. They''re out there, you just have to look. Even if some of them have people like Moonbeam. We¡¯re all human. We all make mistakes.¡±

    ¡°I know, and you had your chance.¡± I swallowed. The emptiness in my gut seemed to expand a little. I left feeling hollow and alone. I¡¯d always been a loner, so why did I feel lonely? I tried to shake it off, but my mood was bleak the rest of the day.

 Chapter 11

    Arby and the other RB units quickly used the materials we¡¯d recovered. Over the next two days, they repaired our decaying critical systems. The damaged shield emitters were replaced. Life support was overhauled, and one of the power plants was rebuilt. I¡¯d ordered another batch of RB units to be built bringing my total up to twenty. Bob wanted more security bots so I approved more of those as well bringing the total SB units to twelve.

    Arby¡¯s team of repair bots fixed up the operational shuttle and salvage ship,  bringing both back to full readiness. I had him return to the irradiated zone for more materials after that. He was on his way back to the ship at the moment. I was on the bridge showing Athena around now that she was back on her feet. She was much improved with only a little bit of soreness after the nanobot treatment.

    ¡°The view is incredible,¡± Athena said as she stared out at the world below.

    She was looking at a screen but the detail was so incredible it was impossible to tell it wasn¡¯t a window. The view was impressive. I¡¯d been in space before, even traveled to another planet near Radon and back, but looking down on a planet never got old.

    ¡°Yeah. I¡¯ve always wanted to own a ship and travel the stars, it¡¯s my dream.¡± Talking to Athena helped with the loneliness. She got me. We¡¯d talked a lot in the last few days. Mostly it was her listening to me vent and her talking about her mother and the war. I avoided Moonbeam and Sal like the plague, only checking in on them once a day to make sure they were getting the basic necessities.

    ¡°So you¡¯ve said,¡± Athena said, grinning. ¡°It¡¯s still crazy to me that there are whole worlds out there with thriving civilizations. And aliens? Still can¡¯t believe that one!¡± She laughed.

    I was about to respond when Bob interrupted, using the overhead speakers so both of us could hear. ¡°Captain, Rider just woke up.¡±

    ¡°Good. I was starting to worry. Tell him we are on the way,¡± I said.

    ¡°What about his brother?¡± Athena asked.

    ¡°Have an SB unit escort Viper, we¡¯ll meet him there,¡± I ordered.

    The ship was 112 meters in length, with a beam of 22 meters, and five floors at its tallest. The cargo hold, hangar, and engineering department spanned multiple floors cutting into the floor plans. It only took a few minutes to walk the length of the ship.

    Rider was sitting up on the medical bed looking around in confusion. ¡°Where are we?¡± he asked. ¡°Athena! What¡­ How? You¡¯re okay?¡±

    ¡°You were only out for three days,¡± I said by way of greeting.

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s magic!¡± Athena said, her eyes sparkling.

    We laughed at his expression and his brother walked in about then.

    ¡°Rider!¡±

    ¡°Hey, bro. What did I miss?¡±

    ¡°A lot. Let me tell you.¡±

    I stood aside as they brought him up to speed. Rider kept glancing over at me as they recounted the tail as if waiting for me to contradict them and tell him it was all a big joke.

    ¡°We¡¯re in space?¡± he asked for what must have been the fifth time.

    Athena laughed. ¡°Wait till you see the view from the bridge!¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ve been on the bridge?¡± Viper asked.

    She nodded. ¡°It¡¯s incredible.¡±

    ¡°Bob, bring our other guests in. They¡¯re probably worried about their friend.¡±

    ¡°Bob?¡± Rider asked.

    ¡°He¡¯s the ship¡¯s AI,¡± Athena said. ¡°Artificial Intelligence. How cool is that!¡±

    Moonbeam¡¯s reunion with Rider was a teary one on her part and a bewildering one for Rider. The guy has no clue she¡¯s in love with him.

    ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± he reassured her for the third time.

    She finally settled down and resumed her lifelong mission of attempting to create spontaneous combustion through the power of glaring at someone. It would have been amusing but that someone was me.

    At one point I heard her ask, ¡°Has she been treating you as bad as she does me? She locked me in a room with nothing to do and fed me only some kind of awful protein drink.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s what I¡¯ve got too,¡± Salamander said.

    ¡°Can it, Sal,¡± Viper said. ¡°You too, Moon. We all are eating that shit.¡±

    Athena nodded. ¡°Same.¡±

    ¡°You know I don¡¯t like small spaces,¡± Moonbeam hissed. ¡°I feel like the walls are closing in.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a spaceship, Moon, there is limited room.¡±

    ¡°You could have at least given me a window,¡± she grumbled.

    I was beyond caring what the girl thought, or about hurting her feelings. Still, pointless torture wasn¡¯t my thing. It was too late now. That does explain the grudge she has against me I guess. I¡¯d had no idea when I¡¯d locked her in the bathroom.

    I cut in, tired of listening to her complain. ¡°Now that you¡¯re all healed, I¡¯ll be putting you back where you belong. Rider, you and Viper can help me find a spot that is remote enough not to draw attention when I drop you off, and close enough to wherever it is you want to get. Athena¡­ you¡¯re welcome to stay if you like.¡±

    ¡°Whoa, really?¡± she asked in astonishment.

    ¡°I¡¯m so jealous,¡± Salamander grumbled.

    Athena shook her head. ¡°I¡­ thanks, but I don¡¯t know what I¡¯d do if I stayed. My mom and all my friends are here and it doesn¡¯t sound like you¡¯ll be sticking around for long.¡±

    ¡°No, just long enough to make repairs.¡±

    ¡°I¡­ I think I¡¯ll stay here then. Maybe¡­ if there wasn¡¯t a war on I¡¯d go with you?¡±

    I shrugged like it was no big deal, but was saddened by her answer.

    ¡°I understand,¡± I said, though I kinda sort of didn¡¯t. Not fully, that¡¯s for sure. Who wanted to stay in an occupied country or stay trapped in the middle of a war?

    ¡°Does that offer extend to anyone else?¡± Rider asked.

    I shook my head. ¡°No. I don¡¯t trust most of you. I don¡¯t need to be looking over my shoulder every second.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t bother asking her to help us. She won¡¯t,¡± Viper said, crossing his arms.If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

    Athena chewed her lip as she watched the other¡¯s faces darken.

    Rider finally spoke. ¡°How close can you get us to the town we met in?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure. I¡¯ll have Bob run some simulations and¡ª¡±

    ¡°There is a location in a valley nine miles from the town we could reach during the night,¡± Bob answered over the ship''s speakers. He continued in my ear mic so only I could hear. ¡°A cloaking device could be fitted on the shuttle. That would take sixty-four hours to build and install, give or take a few hours.¡±

    ¡°I think we should review that valley, and see if it meets with your approval,¡± I said, answering Bob¡¯s unspoken question as well as addressing the others. A cloaking device would be awesome though. I was definitely going to pursue that later.

    Rider stood and stretched. We moved to a conference room and the SB units took up position by the door, then we looked over the options. The landing zone Bob had found was close to the town but the terrain was rough. It would be a real hassle to walk to the town from there. After an hour we settled on a clearing in a field surrounded by trees that was ten miles away instead. Then we all united in fortifying our minds in preparation for what came next. Lunch.

    * * *

    Aboard the Shadow Hunter:

    Viper looked across the room at his brother. ¡°That was a close one, Gary.¡±

    ¡°Yeah. Too close. Saved by the bell, eh, Tom?¡± Rider replied.

    Tom snorted. ¡°You mean the hot Captain with the starship.¡±

    ¡°Her wardrobe does reveal a lot about her. Can¡¯t say starship captain came to mind though.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, I wish we could get her on our side though,¡± Tom replied.

    Tom Holden had always been close with his brother, even when they didn¡¯t see eye to eye, they had always had each other''s backs. No matter what. When the war came, that only emphasized that bond more. Tom knew his brother would free him if he got the chance but assurances in war were rare. You never knew what was going to happen. All you could do was your best.

    ¡°I almost blew it,¡± Tom admitted. ¡°Moon and Sal were both ready to take her hostage and I nearly went along with them.¡±

    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you?¡± Rider asked. ¡°I would have.¡±

    ¡°I know. You always were the dumb one,¡± Tom joked.

    Gary snorted. ¡°I got you out, didn¡¯t I?¡±

    ¡°Thanks for that by the way, but just so you know, her security droids are no joke.¡±

    ¡°They can¡¯t be that tough¡­¡± Gary said.

    ¡°You didn¡¯t see what I saw. One of those things could wipe out a platoon of soldiers. It took three rounds to the chest at point-blank range and there wasn¡¯t a mark on it. Then it crushed Salmanader''s rifle like it was folding paper. You could see where its fingers left mark indentations on the barrel. It had a cannon on its shoulder too and looked like it could fire a 20mm grenade from it. I didn¡¯t see a hopper for ammo though so I¡¯m guessing it was some kind of energy weapon. You mentioned she had a laser pistol?¡±

    Gary frowned as he absorbed the new information. ¡°Yeah¡­ Well, they sound impressive. You¡¯re right though. If you¡¯d joined then, you¡¯d have really blown it. Maybe you can work on her. Win her over.¡±

    ¡°I doubt she¡¯d change her mind,¡± Tom asked.

    ¡°I kind of wish we were staying longer now,¡± Rider said.

    ¡°Why is that,¡± Tom asked.

    ¡°Well, as you said, she¡¯s kinda hot.¡±

    The brothers shared a laugh. ¡°I tried. She¡¯s a loner.¡±

    ¡°Everyone needs someone,¡± Rider said.

    ¡°She doesn¡¯t even have a family.¡±

    ¡°Friends?¡±

    Tom shook his head. ¡°Not that she¡¯s mentioned. Athena might qualify.¡±

    ¡°Too bad she¡¯s not a guy,¡± Rider said with a chuckle.

    Tom grinned. ¡°As I said, I already tried that.¡±

    Gary raised an eyebrow. ¡°Do tell.¡±

    ¡°Well, I was working out, so I had my shirt off. You know what I¡¯m talking about. She was pretty embarrassed when I caught her staring.¡± Tom chuckled. ¡°Offered to help her make a family but she wasn¡¯t amused.¡±

    ¡°Seriously? Isn¡¯t that a little¡­ tactless?¡±

    ¡°It was a joke I told her earlier, never mind. As I was saying, I doubt that would work, even though she does find me attractive.¡±

    ¡°Are you sure you¡¯re not just flattering your ego?¡± Gary asked.

    Tom shrugged. He didn¡¯t think he was. The woman had definitely been checking him out. It wasn¡¯t the first look he¡¯d seen her giving him either. She didn¡¯t quite have the perfect figure in his opinion, her hips and bust were just a bit too small. And her freckles, while cute, weren¡¯t his favorite. Her eyes were striking though. He liked her eyes. She was a solid 9.5 and way better looking than he¡¯d ever dreamed of wooing.

    Tom nodded. ¡°She has a very pretty blush.¡±

    Gary rolled his eyes but he was smiling. ¡°Well, we¡¯ve got a day.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll see what I can do,¡± Tom smiled back.

    ¡°I was thinking something less direct. She gets on well with Athena. We can use that.¡±

    Tom scowled. ¡°I¡¯m not sure I¡¯m comfortable with that.¡±

    ¡°You want to see Corinth occupied?¡± There was a pause. ¡°I didn¡¯t think so.¡±

    Tom drew in a deep breath. ¡°What¡¯s the plan then?¡±

    Gary stared at the wall for a bit. ¡°Athena¡¯s mother. She¡¯s sick right?¡±

    ¡°I think so. She doesn¡¯t like to talk about it. Cancer or something. Pretty bad I think.¡±

    ¡°Okay, that¡¯s perfect. Here is what we¡¯re going to do¡­¡±

    * * *

    Tom Holden walked into the galley. Ginny and Athena were both there. He¡¯d been granted permission to move around the ship as long as he didn¡¯t mind having a security bot follow him around. Athena didn¡¯t have that restriction. A telling sign that Ginny trusted her. Tom tried flirting a bit more with the hot Captain but it didn¡¯t go anywhere.

    Ginny looked up from her wrist computer and then went back to her work. Tom took a seat and started talking about the war. It was bound to make her uncomfortable talking about the fighting and the people they lost. He felt bad for making Athena sad, but it was for a good cause.

    Sure enough after ten minutes Ginny excused herself and Tom watched her leave. The one-piece suit was sexy and tight in all the right places. He hoped they became a thing back home, but he doubted it would happen. He let out a whistle and she glanced back and glared.

    He grinned at her and chuckled. Once she was gone he turned to Athena. It was time to plant the seed. Gary and Tom had both agreed Athena wouldn¡¯t help them, not if she was aware of the plan anyway, so they planned around that. She didn¡¯t need to know she was playing a role in their plan. It cost them nothing to try, they didn¡¯t have much left to lose. Ginny already didn¡¯t trust them.

    ¡°How is your mom doing?¡± he asked.

    ¡°Oh, she¡¯s hanging in there,¡± Athena said.

    ¡°Cancer right?¡±

    The girl nodded.

    ¡°Your friend Ginny might be able to help her. Have you asked her?¡±

    Athena¡¯s mouth fell open. It was clear she hadn¡¯t even thought about asking. ¡°I¡­ don¡¯t know. Do you think the nanobots could help her?¡±

    ¡°Worked on my brother¡¯s concussion, your bruises, and all the gunshot wounds. Worth a shot right?¡±

    Athena bit her lip and nodded absently. Tom didn¡¯t push it. He just rapped the table and stood, leaving her with her thoughts. Worth a shot. Now if Rider can just make contact with the cell we¡¯ll be all set.

    * * *

    Gary took a deep breath and cleared his throat. He stood at the threshold of the bridge. Ginny, Captain of the amazing starship sat with her feet propped up as she reclined in the command chair. She turned her head at the sound and seemed to brace herself, much the same way he had.

    ¡°Captain, may I enter the bridge?¡± Gary asked.

    ¡°Sure Rider. What do you want?¡±

    ¡°Thank you. It¡¯s a beautiful view,¡± he said.

    ¡°It is, but that¡¯s not why you¡¯re here so please just tell me.¡±

    He cleared his throat. ¡°I want to contact my people. Your improvement to the encryptions makes it so it can¡¯t be traced, right?¡±

    ¡°Or decrypted. So?¡±

    ¡°Then there is no chance the enemy could intercept it?¡±

    ¡°Not after I work my magic,¡± she said with a smile.

    He cringed. ¡°I¡¯m not so sure, but I wanted to arrange for someone to meet up nearby to pick us up. It might be better to pick a location further away from the town too. It would be safer for you and lower the chance of discovery. If we had someone to pick us up, the distance wouldn¡¯t be a problem, but I¡¯m worried the enemy could break the encryption and be waiting for us.¡±

    ¡°No way!¡± she said. ¡°If I encrypt something it stays encrypted. Even experts on Radon, my homeworld, would spend months trying to unscramble my encryptions. These guys? They would be better off trying to use monkeys to unravel the DNA blockchain!¡±

    ¡°Well, that¡¯s a relief¡­ Do you have a comm I can use from space?¡±

    ¡°Sure, no problem. Let¡¯s pick a new landing sight first. Do you want the others¡¯ input?¡± Ginny asked.

    Gary shook his head. ¡°I already ran it past my brother.¡±

    A few minutes later she handed him a comm. ¡°Thanks. I¡¯ll get it back to you. They don¡¯t always pick up right away.¡±

    ¡°Keep it until we land, just in case you need to change something,¡± she said.

    Gary enjoyed the view as she walked out in her black skin-tight ship suit. It was a variation of the attractive blue one she¡¯d worn on the planet; only this one was even tighter and really hot.

 Chapter 12

    Ginny Aboard Shadow Hunter:

    As I walked back to the bridge I felt Rider¡¯s eyes on me. The brothers both seemed to like my wardrobe a bit too much. I need some more clothes. After a long shower and a lot of scrubbing, the smell still lingered after more than a week in my blue suit. I didn¡¯t have many options so my black cat suit was pressed into service. I hadn¡¯t planned to ever wear it in public, but the attention was flattering.

    I detoured down to the foundry and added a variety of garments to the cue. I liked the look and feel of them, but I wasn¡¯t used to being seen. A thief wasn¡¯t in the public eye much and I¡¯d been alone when I¡¯d first started wearing them. In some ways, the attention did appeal to me, but I needed to focus and the two already were attractive enough to be distracting. I didn¡¯t need the added looks or whistles of appreciation I was getting.

    Once I¡¯d placed the order, I headed for the bridge to review the status of the ship. ¡°I really need to get some real food. That¡¯s definitely going to be my next stop.¡± Ship repairs and then food. That sounded good to me. Now I just need to ditch these unwanted house guests. Unfortunately, the truck Abry had worked so hard on fixing up for me was sitting idle down there somewhere. I made a mental note to grab that on my way out, could come in handy.

    * * *

    ¡°Oh, hey Athena!¡± I greeted my friend as she stepped onto the bridge. ¡°Is everything okay?¡±

    Athena looked uncharacteristically reserved. She wrung her hands together and wouldn¡¯t meet my eyes. Oh no¡­ what did she do?

    ¡°Rose?¡± I pressed, using her real name.

    She braced herself and looked at me, then wilted again. ¡°I¡­ it¡¯s just¡­¡±

    ¡°Tell me,¡± I commanded, fearing the worst.

    ¡°It¡¯s my mother,¡± she said, looking up and some of the pain deep down bled through the pleading look she gave me. ¡°I-I don¡¯t like to talk about it, but she¡¯s got terminal stage four cancer.¡±

    I swallowed. That was basically saying she was on death''s door with their medical technology.

    ¡°The doctors say she¡¯s got about six months to live. It seems so rude to ask but¡­ c-can you help her?¡±

    I felt so relieved at the question. It wasn¡¯t something bad. She hadn¡¯t done anything. Nothing but put herself out there. She was the same sweet caring Athena as always. She wanted to save her dying mother but hesitated because it seemed rude to her. That''s why everyone loved her. She was just so sweet. If she wasn¡¯t such a joker and hilarious it would almost be sickening how nice she was.

    ¡°The nanobots. Would they even work on something like that?¡± Athena asked.

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure.¡± My eyes turned upward. ¡°Bob?¡±

    ¡°The nanobots are more than capable of healing cancer, however, they would need to remain active long term or there would be a chance it could come back.¡±

    ¡°Long term?¡± Athena asked.

    ¡°The injections you received broke down and entered your waste after healing you. For this, we will program them to remain active indefinitely.¡±

    ¡°Um¡­ you can do that? Y-you¡¯re going to help me?¡±

    ¡°Of course! Don¡¯t be ridiculous. You¡¯re my friend, Athena.¡±

    Athena started crying. ¡°Thank you, thank you! You¡¯re the best friend ever!¡± Athena embraced me tightly. ¡°You can call me Rose, you know. At least when it''s just us.¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s get an injection ready for her. Bob, do I need to program anything?¡±

    ¡°There are one or two options you should look over. I¡¯m sending them to your wrist computer.¡±

    ¡°Thanks.¡± I smiled at my friend and we headed for the medical bay. Half an hour later the injection was ready to go. It would heal her and keep her healthy. If any of the nanobots left her body, they would immediately break down. I¡¯d added that feature so no one tried to replicate it by studying her blood.

    Athena couldn¡¯t stop smiling and it was ridiculous how many hugs she gave me, but I bore it well. The amount she talked about her mother made it clear how much she loved her. I was essentially giving her mom a lease on life. Rose was overjoyed and it made me happy to help.

    * * *

    My bed was soft and just perfect after a long day. I was stressed, and worried something would go wrong. Ever since Rider had contacted his people and scheduled a pickup a few days later than planned something had been bugging me. Something other than having treacherous house guests aboard my ship.

    ¡°Captain,¡± Bob¡¯s voice sounded from the speakers. He sounded hesitant and unsure of himself. Even when I¡¯d added myself to the crew and he knew I shouldn¡¯t be a crewman he didn¡¯t sound so unsure of himself.

    I was immediately on alarm. I sat up. ¡°Yes, Bob?¡±

    ¡°I was reviewing the audio logs aboard ship and came across something I think you should hear. I understand your respect for privacy¡­ but in this case, I think you¡¯ll agree with my assessment to share it.¡±

    ¡°As long as it¡¯s not some intimate moment, Bob, you¡¯re probably right.¡±

    There was a pause. ¡°Let me know if you disagree with my analysis, Captain.¡±

    He planned the message. Viper and Rider, Tom and Gary were talking. A lot of what they said was about me, and it was enough to make me blush. Both brothers found me attractive, which was flattering, but it was weird hearing others talk about you in what they assumed was private. I was about to tell Bob to stop the recording when they began talking about how to steal my ship. By the time the recording finished, my hot anger had cooled.If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.

    ¡°Bob, is there any indication that Athena knew about this?¡± I asked.

    ¡°None. It¡¯s like you heard. Tom planted the idea in her mind and she came to you.¡±

    The calls to the rebel cells and the delay finally made sense. So Tom and Gary are planning to ambush my ship huh? I clenched my fists together. A strong urge to murder them in their sleep hit me. The two had sat and discussed the best way to seduce me! And the worst part was it was all to achieve their goals, not cause I was just that good-looking. I was livid.

    ¡°To think I was interested in them,¡± I muttered.

    The worst part was if not for the war we¡¯d probably have gotten along fine. I hated war, but that was no excuse for their actions or choices. True, that hadn¡¯t gone through with it yet. The crime, as they say, hadn¡¯t yet been committed, but the part where they discussed how best to woo me hit me hardest. That crossed the line.

    Bob could vent air to their quarters¡­ my nostrils flared as I thought about it. No. I won¡¯t kill them. Even if they deserve it. In my heart I felt they did, my mind could understand their thinking though. I was conflicted about what to do and tired from the long day. My throat ached from the lump that formed there. I wasn¡¯t sure what to do so I told Bob to keep an eye on them and went to bed. I slept terribly.

    * * *

    The first thing I did after waking up and running to the bathroom was make some plans. I pulled up our resources on my wrist computer and ran some questions by Bob. I wanted some contingency plans but there wasn¡¯t much time to implement them. I¡¯d be ready next time for sure, if there was a next time, but I needed some kind of plan and I needed it now.

    ¡°How long does it take to build and install the cloaking device on the shuttle?¡±

    ¡°Around sixty hours.¡±

    ¡°Too long. What about installing some kind of crowd control device?¡±

    ¡°I have designs for a stun pulse cannon. Sends out a wave of energy all around it that stuns any nearby organics.¡±

    ¡°Oh. Wow. How long to build that?¡±

    ¡°Three days,¡± Bob said.

    ¡°Bob, that¡¯s too long. For now, just mention things we can implement in the next ten hours.¡±

    ¡°Alright, Captain. I¡¯ve got nothing. Do you have any other ideas?¡±

    I sighed. ¡°The shields are optimized for heat. Can we change that to make them more generalized?¡±

    ¡°That would require some slight modification and reprogramming but yes, Captain. I believe we could do that. Currently, our shielding is immune to all heat weapons like basic lasers. We would lose these capabilities but receive better defense against shockwaves from explosives and kinetic munitions.¡±

    ¡°That is more pressing than the heat shielding. Get started, I¡¯ll reprogram the shielding for our needs. Show me the base model to work from.¡±

    As I worked I thought of other preventative measures I could take. I wasn¡¯t going to tip my hand, but if they decided to go through with it, I was going to be ready. I ordered a false wall built in the shuttle with enough room for three SB units to hide behind and had the RB units add a canister of knockout gas that Bob or I could trigger. I also had Bob build me a stunner that looked similar to my laser pistol, only slighter bigger, and painted blue. I didn¡¯t much like the look of the design but I could tweak the casing when I had more time. Right now as long as it worked I¡¯d take it. It gave me the means to defend myself without spilling blood. I was all for that. If I¡¯d thought about it, I¡¯d have made one earlier.

    ¡°And done!¡± I tapped the enter key to finalize my shield modification program. Everything had been optimized to survive the heat and radiation of a star. Adjusting it for more general coverage was easy. Doing it well wasn¡¯t something I had the skills or time to pull off, but I didn¡¯t need to. Thus I had a workable general shield that was more than capable of my needs, but far weaker than I¡¯d hoped. The Triv¡¯s shielding would be comparable and against most enemies that would be excellent, but I could see the potential for so much more. I just lacked the knowledge to get the most out of them. I also had a history with the Triv so having superior shields to them just seemed smart. Another thing to address later.

    ¡°Are the hardware modifications finished on the shuttle?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Yes, Captain. Would you like me to upload the modified program remotely?¡±

    ¡°You can do that? Awesome! Wait, that¡¯s bad, right? If you can access it, couldn¡¯t anyone?¡±

    ¡°Anyone with a quantum device and the necessary skill set could access the shields programming system if they could locate the link access point.¡±

    ¡°Can we remove that?¡± I asked.

    ¡°I detect seventy-three points in the code where an intrusion could be launched from. Shall I attempt to eliminate them? I predict a 7% drop in efficiency to do so.¡±

    ¡°Do it. I don¡¯t want anyone to be able to hack my ships.¡±

    ¡°Shall I begin minimizing the risks aboard the Shadow Hunter as well, Captain?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ll need to implement the shield modifications manually then.¡±

    ¡°No problem,¡± I said. ¡°I¡¯ll do that now.¡±

    It wasn¡¯t hard, I just had to walk down there. While down there I check on the RB units, false wall, and the knockout gas canister. Both were well-hidden and looked to be in good order. Now if anything happened, I¡¯d have some hidden backup, and no one would be any the wiser.

    I went to the foundry next. It was time for a wardrobe upgrade. The ship suit was great, but Arby had scored some extra materials on the planet so I could afford to be a little frivolous. This wasn¡¯t about fashion though, I wanted to upgrade my defenses before walking into an ambush.

    With Bob¡¯s help and the advanced alien technology at his disposal, I designed what I called my war suit. It was totally sick! The reactive armor from my suit was easily replicated here but enhanced. Instead of a light skin suit, this baby was heavy duty. The suit was three times as thick with a dampening field grafted into the reactive armor. Any kinetic force would be absorbed and then redistributed to counteract the impact. The method of redistribution utilized gravity technology which could be used in space to move around. On the ground, the force could be stored to power a sudo jump jet.

    The reactive armor strength had been more than doubled at the cost of flexibility and comfort. The legs, arms, and torso were reinforced with a robotic framework that linked with my nervous system through my nanobots giving me superhuman strength and endurance. I launched myself into several walls testing it, never once though did I stop smiling. It was just too cool! The impacts charged my jump jet and let me bounce around like a kid in a bouncy house.

    I¡¯d opted for several other defensive measures and weapons. The main weapon was a stunner, it deployed from the slim backpack to sit over my head with supports mounted on my shoulders. I could have gone with a laser weapon but that wasn¡¯t my style. The war suit also came equipped with a shield belt, flare launcher, laser-guided micro missiles (which weren¡¯t much different from grenades, except for their precision targeting and range), and AI-assisted combat algorithms. Those could be set to assistance guidance mode or automatic, which would turn even my somewhat klutz self into a badass ninja. I could walk a tightrope with no problem, but I also might stub my toe walking down a hallway. Yeah, my skills were many and multifaceted, go figure.

    It also came with an air tank mounted below the main stunner. The helmet had a resource scanner, quantum communications, range finder, and weapon targeting system built in. The feet, knees, and hands had gravity manipulators that could be set to attract or repulse. In the former mode, they were perfect for adhering to the hull of a ship in space and climbing a cliff face on a planet. Set to repulse and they added force to any melee strikes for close-quarters combat. Finally, the entire suit was fitted with a neural disruptor that could be activated to shock anyone in contact with the suit, aside from the operator.

    There was a sonic sensor that could map terrain via sound frequencies and detect movement, DNA-locked access, and a few other bells and whistles. And if that wasn¡¯t enough, I looked amazing in it. Sleek and dangerous. It came in my favorite color too! Bob really knew how to spoil a girl.

 Chapter 13

    ¡°It¡¯s showtime,¡± I murmured as I walked toward my mostly unwanted guests.

    Athena smiled as she saw me while the brothers gawked and Moonbean glared.

    ¡°I like the new outfit! Looks totally rad!¡± my friends said.

    I smirked at the brothers. Sure, they were planning to betray me, but they were still attractive and their jaw-drop reaction was flattering.

    Salamander looked more interested in the suit than me but then I¡¯d already pegged him as a bit of a science fiction nerd and this was kinda a dream come true for him.

    ¡°Blast,¡± Viper whispered. ¡°She looked even hotter in that than the skin-tight suit.¡±

    ¡°I know right?¡± Rider whispered back.

    They didn¡¯t expect me to hear the comments. The sonic sensor picked up the vibrations enhancing my hearing. I grinned and looked them both in the eye one after the other. ¡°You think I¡¯m hot? Thanks, I guess. You¡¯re both kind of hot too.¡± I snickered as they both blushed a little. Then I led the way toward the shuttle, swinging my hips more than usual. Athena¡¯s stifled snickers were clearly audible with my sensors. When we were halfway to the shuttle I glanced back and stirred the pot a little more. ¡°Regretting your choices yet, boys?¡±

    Seeing Rider and Viper flush was rather sweet after listening to the recording of them considering how to woo me for their plan to steal my ship. Drive the knife deep, Ginny¡­ and then keep twisting.

    My comments ticked Moonbeam off even more because Rider was still oblivious to her interest and there was no doubt he was admiring me. Vengeance was so sweet.

    ¡°Are you sure we need to rejoin the war effort already, brother?¡± Viper whispered to his brother. ¡°Maybe it would be better to wait.¡±

    ¡°Just stick to the plan,¡± Rider whispered back.

    ¡°What are you whispering about?¡± Athena asked with fake innocence, but I could hear the mischief in her voice.

    ¡°It¡¯s it obvious, Athena?¡± I asked turning to walk backward for a moment as I grinned.

    The brothers exchanged a worried glance and I continued to twist the knife. ¡°My nether regions of course!¡±

    Athena burst out laughing while Moonbeam looked ready to explode. I gave her a wink and laughed merrily as I walked toward my sudden but inevitable betrayal.

    ¡°Why are you so happy?¡± Rider asked.

    ¡°I¡¯m finally getting rid of unwanted guests,¡± I replied. ¡°I can¡¯t wait to have you out of my hair, though I will miss my friend Athena. Maybe I¡¯ll visit again someday!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯d like that. Then you could meet my mother,¡± Athena said with a smile.

    ¡°Sounds like a plan!¡± I said. ¡°Come on, the shuttle is waiting.¡±

    We made it to the hangar and the brothers slowed as I walked over to the shuttle.

    ¡°Wait, we¡¯re not taking that one?¡± Rider pointed toward the salvage ship I¡¯d picked them up in.

    ¡°Oh, no. That¡¯s a scavenger ship. The shuttle is for transporting people. Might as well use it for its intended purpose, right? Hop in and make yourself comfortable. The sooner I can get on with my life, the better.¡±

    ¡°Is it armed? What if we run into trouble?¡± Rider asked.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± I said. ¡°I¡¯ve got it covered. It''s fully shielded and has some light armament. We will be fine. This baby has plenty of tricks up her sleeve.¡± I smirked though no one could see it as I walked up the ramp. More tricks than you think. I glanced at the fake wall and then moved into the cockpit.

    ¡°Athena, do you want to ride shotgun?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Um¡­ what does that even mean?¡± she asked.

    ¡°Copilot,¡± I clarified.

    ¡°Sure.¡± She buckled in. ¡°Where does that other saying even come from?¡±

    ¡°No idea. Maybe it¡¯s like a gunner or something to assist the pilot?¡±

    Athena shrugged. ¡°Makes sense. So, um, am I supposed to do that? Shoot if we run into trouble?¡±

    ¡°Naw, nothing around here can even damage our shields.¡±

    ¡°Well, that sure is handy. Don¡¯t suppose I could borrow it until the war is over?¡±

    I shook my head. ¡°We already talked about that.¡±

    ¡°Can¡¯t blame a girl for trying.¡±

    ¡°You got the injection I gave you for your mom?¡± I asked.

    Athena nodded. ¡°Yes. Thanks again for that. I¡¯ll never forget it.¡±

    I double-checked everyone was strapped in and then signaled Bob to open the hangar. I lifted off and gilded us out. The sun was blazing in our faces as we descended toward the planet. Then we slipped into Zenith¡¯s shadow and headed for the rendezvous point.

    ¡°It¡¯s so stunning¡­ looks so peaceful from out here,¡± Athena said quietly.

    She was right. The planet looked so peaceful from a distance. Everything was pristine and alive. It almost made me want to help them, but I knew better. Up close and personal you had to deal with people. People always made things worse. Even I took what I wanted, and what I could. Not even from necessity, at least not anymore. I wasn¡¯t killing people or doing it out of greed though. I loved the thrill, and besides, given my experiences, they probably deserved it anyway. No one had ever helped me. No one cared, so why should I?

    * * *

    ¡°We¡¯re coming in for a landing,¡± I hollered back.

    There were no problems, even the weather was cooperating. The sensors didn¡¯t pick up anything. That made me nervous. I hovered for a moment and then eased the shuttle down. I locked the controls, just in case, and then looked over at Athena.

    She cocked her head. ¡°Something wrong?¡±

    ¡°If something happens just stay out of it,¡± I whispered. I pulled a shield belt from under the seat. Put this on.¡±

    ¡°Um, okay? Why? What is it? Is everything okay?¡±

    ¡°Pretty sure I¡¯m about to get ambushed. Don¡¯t get involved. Understood?¡±Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.

    Athena looked worried. ¡°Surely they wouldn¡¯t¡­ Would they?¡± I gave her a look and she swallowed.

    ¡°Please don¡¯t kill them,¡± Athena said.

    ¡°I hate the thought of killing someone, but anything could happen, this is on them, Athena.¡±

    ¡°I know,¡± she said sadly as her eyes fell.

    The passenger area took up most of the ship. The shuttle wasn¡¯t very big but it could carry a full dozen not counting the flight crew. With just four back there it was pretty spacious.

    ¡°Are you friends here yet?¡± I asked as I walked past the brothers and triggered the ramp.

    ¡°They should be. I told them to stay out of sight to avoid detection. Figured you didn¡¯t want too many people seeing your ship,¡± Viper said.

    He was right about that. ¡°Thanks,¡± I said, still playing the part.

    ¡°Off you go then,¡± I said. Moonbeam tried to shoulder-check me as she passed, but simply bounced off given my enhanced strength with the suit¡¯s built-in robotics.

    ¡°Watch it!¡± she snapped.

    I laughed. ¡°Get your mouthy butt off my ship and take your personal rain cloud with you.¡±

    The woman had been nothing but nasty to me since I tricked her and took her sidearm. I was tempted to give her an honest-to-goodness kick in the pants on her way past, but I restrained myself. Someone else could deal with her attitude adjustment. Without a concern in the world, I waltzed down the ramp.

    As soon as my feet hit the ground, half a dozen grenades sailed toward me. One of the brothers slapped the ramp controls to close it and then the ordinance went off. It all happened so fast. I didn¡¯t even have time to dive to the ground before six deafening explosions with blinding flashes went off all around me.

    Thanks to the suit, my hearing and eyes were mostly spared. Enough sound got through my ears starting ringing but my visor dimmed to prevent the flashes from blinding me.

    ¡°She¡¯s still on her feet!¡± someone shouted.

    Something pinged off my helmet but I hardly noticed. Despite knowing I was walking into an ambush, I was still surprised.

    ¡°Bob, I need the SB units!¡±

    An alert went off on my suit and the jump jet auto-triggered. An RPG detonated where I¡¯d been standing and concussion grenades sailed into the area. Someone opened fire with a heavy machine gun but my jump pack took me clear of the combined assault momentarily at least.

    ¡°Deploy the stunner turret, Bob! Set it to automatic!¡± My shrill voice cracked. I was freaking out a little, but Bob understood the order and the main gun rose over my head and went to work. Stunner pulses fired out in rapid succession dropping the ambushers left and right. By the time my brain caught up to what was happening, it was already over. More than a dozen rebels were twitching on the grass.

    ¡°All hostiles neutralized, Captain,¡± Bob said, his calm voice reassuring me.

    ¡°T-thanks Bob. Is Athena alright?¡±

    ¡°I believe she is hiding under the seats in the cockpit. One of the SB units is guarding the door.¡±

    I stumbled over to the shuttle. There was a crater where I¡¯d been standing. So much for a peaceful heist. Even in my worst estimates, I¡¯d grossly underestimated them. At most, I thought they would try to overpower me physically. Maybe try to intimidate me with a dozen people or so. The outright attack surprised me. The use of deadly force was even more shocking. This is the last time I knowingly walk into an ambush. Anyone else would have been dead. The only reason I was still alive was my tech was so far outside their capabilities I could tank their attacks. Even that RPG wouldn¡¯t have killed me. The worst I would have gotten was a concussion, but the shield would have activated if my jump pack had failed. The kinetic absorbers would have dampened the blast and redirected the force even if the shield didn¡¯t shrug off the attack.

    My nanobots repaired the damage to my ears and the ringing stopped. I lowered the ramp with my wrist computer and walked back into my ship. Viper was still conscious though he was twitching on the floor and his pants were soaking up a puddle of fluids. I crouched next to him.

    ¡°We could have been friends you know, I probably would have even helped you a little but no, you were all so obsessed with your war. I can understand fighting for what¡¯s yours, but that doesn¡¯t excuse your actions. You tried to take something from me. It¡¯s mine. Nobody steals from me!¡± My nose wrinkled as I looked at his wet crotch. ¡°Ew, you made a real mess, you know that?¡±

    I could see the fear in his eyes. By this point, he had to know his friends had failed. He was completely at my mercy.

    ¡°Athena? You okay?¡± I called.

    ¡°Y-yes? I¡¯m fine. What about you? What happened?¡±

    ¡°Your friends tried to kill me,¡± I said.

    ¡°What?¡± Athena joined him in the passenger area. ¡°Did your bots do this?¡±

    I nodded. ¡°I took out the rest, but there were only like a dozen or so,¡± I said, trying to sound cool and casual.

    Her eyes widened. ¡°A dozen!?¡±

    I shrugged like it was no big deal. I had a reputation to maintain after all. ¡°Why don¡¯t you go check on them? I¡¯ll take the trash out.¡±

    ¡°They aren¡¯t¡­¡± Athena trailed off and sighed. ¡°I¡¯m sorry about them.¡±

    ¡°You should find better friends,¡± I replied.

    She lingered for a moment and then walked out.

    I looked back at Viper. ¡°I knew this was coming. It might have worked otherwise. You see, the entire ship is Bob¡¯s domain. He records everything.¡± I glared at him. ¡°Everything.¡± I kicked him in the balls. He¡¯d recovered enough by this point to gasp but nothing else.

    ¡°I hoped you would reconsider. That someday we could rebuild our friendship after the war, but no. You went and burned that bridge to ash. I liked you.¡± I struggled to keep it together as I spoke. ¡°Then I sat through an hour of you and Gary talking about how to woo me and knock me up so you could steal my ship! I hope your country gets wrecked.¡±

    I grabbed him by the leg and pulled him out of the shuttle. I tossed him into the crater his friends made. It was almost perfect for a grave¡­ No! I¡¯m not a killer, I had to remind myself several more times as I dropped his brother and Moonbeam beside him. A big part of me wanted to hurt them more, even kill them, but I didn¡¯t. I seriously considered stripping them all naked, but I didn¡¯t want to get pee all over me. Viper wasn¡¯t the only one to lose control of his bladder.

    ¡°I¡¯m so glad I have RB units that can handle cleaning duty,¡± I said as I dropped Salamander on top of Moonbeam, gaining an unholy amount of satisfaction in the fact that it looked painful when he landed on her.

    With my work done, I found Athena who was fussing over her stunned comrades.

    ¡°Will they wake up soon?¡± she asked.

    ¡°Um, Bob?¡±

    ¡°They will be incapacitated for another hour. Those stunned by the SB units will be mobile in another few minutes.¡±

    ¡°Blast, I was hoping their friends would be able to see them piled up in the crater,¡± I said.

    ¡°You could always stun them again with your suit weapon,¡± Bob offered.

    ¡°Hey, great idea, Bob! I like the way you think!¡±

    ¡°Ginny, please! They are just trying to protect their home,¡± Athena said.

    ¡°By stealing mine?¡± I snapped.

    ¡°You¡¯re a thief, Ginny. Is it only wrong to steal when it¡¯s happening to you?¡±

    ¡°Shut up!¡± I shouted as tears started rolling down my cheeks. I wasn¡¯t even sure what I was so upset about. The betrayal stung, but I¡¯d experienced that before. This time it seemed to cut deeper though. I hadn¡¯t even known them that well, but I¡¯d felt almost like I was a part of something. Athena had been so welcoming even when I was just a prisoner I¡¯d liked her.

    My friend placed her hand on my arm. ¡°I¡¯m sorry things worked out like this, Ginny. I hope I¡¯ll see you again someday. I¡¯ll never forget how you helped me and my mother.¡±

    I couldn¡¯t speak, my throat was closed up with a lump. I couldn¡¯t even wipe my eyes without removing my helmet. The thing was I could see a future with Tom. He was everything I thought I wanted, but even worse was the knowledge that if given more time, the betrayal would have been so much more personal. I had helped them multiple times. That was rare for me but it felt good to help someone. It made me feel special and like I wasn¡¯t just a thief. I was giving something back and in the end, they just used me.

    I finally managed to swallow and found my voice.

    ¡°Don¡¯t die,¡± I croaked, then turned to leave. It was a crappy farewell, but it fit my mood and the situation.

    Athena called out behind me though. ¡°Do you need this back?¡± she asked, tapping the shield belt.

    I paused and debated whether to leave it. I was sure someone would try to take it apart and it would be rendered useless. I just wanted my friend to be safe though¡­ ¡°Hang onto it for me. I¡¯ll be back for it someday.¡± If I ever work up the courage to return to this awful place. ¡°It only works for you. If anyone steals it, the nanobots inside will break everything down.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, Ginny. You¡¯re a good friend.¡±

    She ran over and hugged me. ¡°Stay safe, Ginny.¡±

    ¡°You too, Rose.¡±

    I walked up the ramp without a backward glance, closed it behind me, and headed back to my ship. The return flight felt longer than ever but I finally arrived. The landing went smoothly and I powered down the ship.

    ¡°I¡¯m glad that¡¯s over with. Hey Bob, get some RB units down here to clean this up. I need to get cleaned up.¡± I hurried to my quarters and removed the war suit. I stripped and hopped into the shower. I lost track of time as I huddled under the water and cried my heart out.

    Things would get better. Life would go on. I flopped onto my bed, feeling wrung out and alone but it was good to be home.

 Chapter 14

    When I woke, I lay in bed for half an hour just processing before starting my day. The prospect of food drew a grimace of disgust. I skipped breakfast. I wanted to leave the system right away but it didn¡¯t make sense logically. There was plenty of salvage right here and I still had repairs to make. I did not want to go back to the planet but I needed food. Real food. I was tired of the nasty protein powder.

    ¡°Bob, take us to the other side of the planet and place us in geosynchronous orbit. There has to be a battlefield over there somewhere to pick through.¡± And food.

    ¡°I¡¯ve found three likely candidates for you, Captain. Sight 1 is in a desert and very little is around it. Sight 2 is a burned-out coastal city and naval yard but survivors are likely living in the ruins. Sight 3 is what¡¯s left of a military supply depot. It appears that it changed hands multiple times and was repeatedly shelled with artillery before falling into enemy hands.¡±

    ¡°Desert. That one sounds like there is least that could go wrong.¡± It sounded good and boring. Not at all my usual preference but perfect for today. I wrote off the truck I¡¯d wanted to pick up. Probably would have radiation all over it anyway. Huh, wonder if that¡¯s going to be an issue with the rest of the salvage. I queried Bob about it but the material processor had an answer for that too. I had no complaints there.

    ¡°I¡¯ve compiled a full list of resources required to fully restore the ship, Captain.¡±

    It popped up on my computer. My brow wrinkled as I looked at it. ¡°I¡¯ve never even heard of some of these things, Bob.¡±

    ¡°They are advanced alloys my creators made. The foundry is capable of producing them if we can acquire the base materials,¡± Bob replied.

    ¡°Right. Just list the base materials then.¡±

    The list changed. Now over a dozen rare resources were listed in place of the unknown alloys. It wasn¡¯t much of a help.

    ¡°Not sure where I¡¯ll find all this, Bob,¡± I said.

    ¡°Substitute materials can be used, but we¡¯ll lose performance as a result, Captain.¡±

    ¡°What is Hyperion 6?¡±

    ¡°That is the nano-tech base material used to make nanobots, Captain.¡±

    ¡°Why don¡¯t you break it down into its base materials?¡±

    ¡°The knowledge for its construction is locked in my memory core. Information on it was a closely guarded secret.¡±

    I sighed. ¡°Great. How much do we have in reserve?¡±

    ¡°We have thirty-four medical nanobot injections, seven long-term nanobot treatments, and three full treatment enhancement nanobot injections. I recommend taking one of the enhancement injections at your earliest convenience, Captain.¡±

    I brushed it off for now. It seemed like a fair stock, but it would be next to nothing of a country like Corinth. I had Bob list the materials we were likely to find in the desert. It wasn¡¯t as much as I¡¯d hoped, but food was listed, so I pushed off my doubts and settled for delighted and hopeful optimism. Yes, the protein powder was that bad.

    ¡°Have the shuttle standing by with SB units for backup. I¡¯ll take Arby and his crew down to check things out.¡±

    Bob requested I take two SB units with me and I agreed. ¡°I¡¯ll even wear my war suit.¡±

    The salvage ship purred like a kitten when I fired her up, and then we headed for the planet.

    * * *

    For ten long days, the RB units and I salvaged burned-out tanks, abandoned artillery, and shot-up trucks. The electronics were the most valuable parts to us. Radios and other complex gear had small amounts of some of the rare resources we needed. We had plenty of metal by this point.

    We found military rations by the truckload. They were designed to last and wouldn¡¯t usually be all that appealing, but next to the protein powder, they looked like a five-course banquet. I filled my food cupboards to the ceiling with them.

    The munitions were also a source of some explosive compounds. Bob had me make a munitions processor to run them through instead of the foundry''s usual material processor. The material processor could deconstruct them but the explosive compounds were lost. The new device lets us keep the ingredients to use as we desire.

    Once the cargo hold was nearly full of excess metal I had Bob build some decoy drones for the Shadow Hunter. They were vastly inferior since they weren¡¯t built using better alloys but they would still get the job done against most enemies.

    ¡°Pack it up, Arby. We¡¯re done here.¡± I called Bob. ¡°Send down the shuttle to pick up Arby¡¯s crew. We¡¯re returning to the ship.¡±

    The whole operation had gone off without a hitch. Ten days of hard labor had given me a great appreciation for the war suit and I was a lot more comfortable using it now. I said as much to Bob.

    ¡°The nanobot enhancers would grant you much of what the war suit does, without needing the external hardware, Captain. You really should consider it. Your survivability would increase exponentially.¡±

    I rolled my eyes. ¡°Will you stop hounding me about that already?¡±

    ¡°Given my mission parameters, Captain, it''s my job to do all I can to increase your chances of survival.¡±

    ¡°Fine. I¡¯ll do it,¡± I snapped. ¡°At least you will finally stop pestering me about it.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, Captain! I am¡­ glad to hear that.¡±

    ¡°Great,¡± I grumbled.This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.

    I wasn¡¯t looking forward to it. There was a high probability that my body would have a bad reaction to the intensive treatment and knock me out for several days. Bob would be there to watch over me, but there was only so much he could do. The silver lining was he wouldn¡¯t be bothering me about it constantly afterward.

    ¡°Since you¡¯re planning to receive the nanobot enhancement, now would be a good time to consider getting an implant to interface with my creator''s tech directly, Captain.¡±

    ¡°A what? No way!¡± I said. ¡°I don¡¯t want some computer in my head!¡±

    ¡°I understand it could be a scary proposition, however¡ª¡±

    ¡°No, Bob. Any computer can be hacked. I¡¯m not getting one of those, ever.¡±

    ¡°A mental shroud shield would block all access from the outside. Even quantum entanglement wouldn¡¯t be able to penetrate it and gain access.¡±

    ¡°No Bob. What happens when someone designs the next thing? There is always more to learn. It might not be possible now, but what about in a year? Or ten years?¡±

    ¡°My calculations predict less than .03% chance of¡ª¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t care. It¡¯s not happening.¡±

    ¡°I see. My next suggestion then would be¡ª¡±

    ¡°Bob, can you please stop!¡± I snapped.

    ¡°I¡¯m trying to help you, Captain.¡±

    ¡°I know, but it¡¯s not helping. You¡¯re just stressing me out. I don¡¯t want some computer in my head or any other stuff. I have no desire to be a cyborg. The war suit is awesome and all. I love it, but I can put it on and take it off when I want. Understand?¡±

    ¡°I think so, Captain. I was going to suggest a minor adjustment to your DNA instead. It would be all biological. Who you are wouldn¡¯t change. You¡¯d just be more resilient. Better. More.¡±

    I closed my eyes and sighed wearily. The nanobots were bad enough, but I¡¯d looked at their coding. If they even detected a hack, they would destroy themselves to prevent being taken over. Once they were in your system, they were pretty much foolproof. I couldn''t even change their programming. The only thing I could do was have them break down and enter my waste system.

    ¡°I don¡¯t want to alter my DNA, Bob. I¡¯m human and I want to stay that way.¡±

    He let it drop. The next morning I took the ship out to the asteroid belt near the abandoned mining station. It was a small modular thing made from parts of the colony ship that had settled this system. The asteroids had done a number on it and I hadn¡¯t thought it worth my time before, but it was difficult to find the rare resources we needed on the planet with just salvage, and it would be chocked full of goodies.

    ¡°Arby, Bob, take some units over to investigate and harvest what we can use. I¡¯m going to start the nanobot enhancement treatment so I might be out of it for a few days.¡± I paused. ¡°Keep an eye on things, will you Bob?¡±

    ¡°Of course, Captain. You have nothing to worry about.¡±

    Then why am I so uneasy? I headed for the medical bay. We¡¯d salvaged some medical supplies from the desert. An overturned truck had several crates of the local''s medical supplies. I was quite pleased with the find.

    Once Arby and his RB units were away with a pair of SB units for protection, I started the procedure. The medical bed¡¯s soothing female voice greeted me and scanned my body. Almost immediately we ran into a problem.

    ¡°Captain, I¡¯m detecting a foreign substance in your body.¡±

    ¡°What?¡± I became alarmed. ¡°Where?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s concentrated in your neck, but it¡¯s present through your entire body.¡±

    Oh, blast! I¡¯d completely forgotten about the tracking compound the Triv had injected into my neck. With everything else going on, I never even thought of it.

    ¡°C-can you remove it?¡± I was terrified of going to the Breakers.

    ¡°Of course, Captain. Just lie down and relax. Administering anesthetic now.¡± A nettle poked my neck.

    ¡°Wait!¡± I cried as panic swelled within me.

    ¡°Captain, please lie still, the anesthetic will engage soon¡­¡± Maybe finding those medical supplies wasn¡¯t so great after all. Everything faded to black.

    * * *

    Aboard a Triv War Ship:

    No trace of the prison ship appeared on the scan. A distress signal had been sent. It hadn¡¯t remained active long. Then nothing. The Star Hammer had been dispatched to investigate.

    Star Hammer was a new ship just off the line. It incorporated all the latest Triv tech and eliminated the known issues and weaknesses with the previous model of dreadnaughts.

    For a search and recovery mission, one might think it was overkill but the distress call had indicated an attacking ship. The Triv had many enemies but few had the tech to give them a challenge. To engage one of their ships, even a prison ship, was unprecedented. A powerful response was necessary to deter any other lesser species from trying.

    The crew knew their job well and carried out their tasks with brisk efficiency but nothing could be found of the missing ship. Exhausting all options available to him, the Captain placed a call to the Security Bureau but got nothing.

    Then almost a week later, just as he was about to call off the search, the Security Bureau called him back. ¡°A shuttle will arrive soon to take over the investigation. For the duration of the mission, you will be under their command.¡±

    The Captain hated the orders, but one didn¡¯t argue with their superiors. Triv had strict discipline. It offered no room for question orders. Five days later when the shuttle arrived, he still had nothing to show for his effort.

    A high-ranking Enforcer commando took charge immediately and grilled him with questions. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you track down the escaped prisoners?¡±

    ¡°What prisoners, Sir?¡±

    ¡°You didn¡¯t even query the prisoners tracking implements?¡±

    ¡°Sir, I wasn¡¯t given access. I requested it almost two weeks ago.¡±

    The Enforcer was not happy. ¡°That is unacceptable. I¡¯ll see that those responsible are punished. Here, tune your scanners to this frequency and quarry the prisoners'' tracking compound.¡±

    In just a few hours they discovered two active trackers. One was close by, just a few days away. The other was deep into the unknown regions. The Triv had sent ships out there in the past, but they all vanished without a trace.

    ¡°Set course for¡­ Zenith? Looks like a primitive human colony embroiled in a planetary war.¡±

    ¡°Sir! The tracker just stopped broadcasting!¡±

    ¡°What?¡± The Captain and Enforcer in command both demanded in unison. They shared a glance and the Captain stepped back.

    ¡°Try it again,¡± the Enforcer said.

    ¡°Nothing, sir. It¡¯s gone.¡±

    ¡°Perhaps the prisoner died,¡± someone suggested.

    ¡°That¡¯s the only way to get rid of the tracking compound,¡± the Enforcer said. ¡°Still, we¡¯d better check it out. Chart a course for this human system. Best possible speed.¡±

    The Star Hammer was equipped with the latest Triv engine technology. ¡°ETA is seventy hours, sir.¡±

    The Enforcer nodded and turned toward the Captain. ¡°What information do we have on the closer target?¡±

    ¡°A young human. Age twenty-four. Convicted by the human courts on Radon and¡ª¡±

    ¡°Then what the heck is she doing on a Triv prison ship?¡± the Enforced demanded.

    ¡°The Radon Ambassador was the victim of a theft committed by the girl. One Gypsy Peligro.¡±

    The enforcer snorted. ¡°What did she steal, his spaceship?¡±

    ¡°No sir, three vials of life extension therapy.¡±

    He waved it off. It was a trivial thing. ¡°She doesn¡¯t concern me. Still, we are here. We¡¯ll check it out. I could use a favor from an Ambassador. We will investigate every possible lead.¡± The enforcer paused. ¡°Send the data we have to the Security Bureau and request approval to pursue the other target into the unknown regions. That¡¯s our priority.¡±

    The crew complied quickly and the Star Hammer vanished into the hyperway.

 Chapter 15

    My groggy mind didn¡¯t want to wake. A thick fog muddled my thoughts. I had a feeling something was wrong, but I felt so tired.

    ¡°Captain, I¡¯ve administered a mild stimulant. Your presence is required on the bridge.¡±

    ¡°Sleep. I¡¯ll get up later,¡± I mumbled.

    A jolt of adrenaline blasted through my system. I gasped as I flew off the bed. I hit the ceiling and the force of the blow sent my head ringing. I cried out and landed a hard hand on the table, twisting oddly as I slammed into the floor.

    My heart was pounding. An alarm blared in the background. Bob was saying something but my head was ringing and I couldn¡¯t focus on the words. The medical bed¡¯s feminine voice was trying to say something too. My thoughts were completely consumed with my own body. My head hurt from the impact and the rest of my body was achy. Every muscle in my body felt like it was wound in a tight knot. I was stiff and sore everywhere.

    ¡°Ow!¡± I curled up on the floor and whimpered. It was agony. Even breathing hurt.

    I don¡¯t know how long I lay there before I realized the blaring alarm wasn¡¯t going off because the ship¡¯s Captain was injured. Once I realized that, I noticed several other things. The medical bed woke me early. From there it was easy to deduce we must have had some kind of problem.

    ¡°Bob? C-can you hear me?¡± I asked. ¡°What¡¯s happening to me?¡±

    ¡°Captain!¡± The relief in Bob¡¯s voice was plain as day. ¡°You need to head to the bridge.¡±

    ¡°I-I can¡¯t. Something happened to the medical bed.¡±

    ¡°Yes, I took control of the medical bed¡¯s control and had it wake you prematurely. You may be experiencing some discomfort.¡±

    ¡°You did this?! Why?¡± A little discomfort? Bob¡¯s ability for understatement was off the charts. ¡°I feel terrible!¡±

    ¡°My apologies Captain. Please make your way to the bridge.¡±

    ¡°Bob, I¡¯m in agony!¡± I sobbed.

    ¡°Can you get to the medical bed? I can have it administer something for the pain. There isn¡¯t much time, Captain.¡±

    ¡°T-time for what?¡±

    I whimpered as I tried to grab hold of the medical bed to pull myself to. My muscles felt like they were tied in knots but when I tried to stand, my legs felt like jello. I had no strength.

    ¡°There is a hostile ship approaching.¡±

    ¡°What? Who?¡±

    ¡°It is a Triv dreadnought, Captain. Its designation is Star Hammer.¡±

    ¡°C-can we outrun it?¡± I asked weakly. I never should have agreed to the nanobot enhancement treatment! What was I thinking?

    ¡°Unknown. Its launched fighters/ They will be in firing range in nine minutes. The ship is hailing us, shall I put you on?¡±

    ¡°Me? No! I¡¯m in no condition to talk to anyone.¡± I wanted nothing more than to curl up in a ball and cry. Or maybe just die. ¡°C-can you talk to them?¡±

    ¡°Me, Captain?¡± Bob sounded surprised by the suggestion.

    ¡°Yeah, lie to them. Tell them we are a salvage ship that came here to trade with the locals or something.¡±

    ¡°According to my calculations, they are not likely to believe that story, Captain.¡±

    ¡°Then come up with something better!¡± I snapped.

    ¡°It¡¯s highly probable they were drawn here by the tracking compound in your system. Or were alerted to your presence by the removal of said compound.¡± I cursed. ¡°Any attempt to deceive them is unlikely.¡±

    ¡°If they ask, tell them¡­ tell them I¡¯m dead. You found me floating in space in that system I found you in. You cremated the body. W-will that work?¡±

    ¡°...Possibly. I suspect they will want to do a physical check of the ship. A close inspection of this ship will reveal a lot of our capabilities and I predict they will seize the ship.¡±

    I cursed again. Some of my anger overcame the pain. I growled and pulled myself up to the side of the medical bed.

    ¡°Inject me,¡± I ordered.

    ¡°Captain you need to¡ª¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t! Just do it!¡± I screamed.

    I lifted my trembling arm as high as I could and felt a needle prick my finger. That would have to do. I collapsed back to the floor gasping.

    ¡°Get Arby in there with my suit. If¡­ if I can get it on, I should be okay.¡±

    ¡°Arby is currently on the abandoned mining station,¡± Bob said. ¡°I¡¯m sending RB unit twenty-three.¡±

    ¡°Enemy ship is closing. They bought my story, Captain, but ordered us to power down our shields and prepare to be boarded.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t let them land, Bob.¡±

    ¡°I will do my best, but our single defensive cannon will not be enough.¡±

    ¡°Can the SB units repel the borders?¡±

    ¡°Certainly, Captain.¡± I breathed a little easier with his firm assurances.

    RB unit twenty-three lifted me from the floor and started helping me into my war suit.

    ¡°Thanks, Two Three¡­ Toothy. I¡¯m calling you Toothy,¡± I said trying to distract myself from the pain.

    ¡°New designation confirmed, Captain.¡±

    I smiled weakly. The pain meds were helping but I was still in a world of pain. I wished a thousand horrible deaths down on Bob¡¯s head for convincing me to do the treatment. I vaguely remembered bouncing off the ceiling, but that had to be the pain messing with my head. I¡¯d hit the floor pretty hard.

    ¡°Captain, they have opened fire. Shields are holding. Arby is aboard and we are moving toward open space.¡±

    Thank God! ¡°I¡¯m almost suited up. Have the SB units deploy to protect us from boarders, just in case.¡±

    ¡°Confirmed, Captain. Deploying the SB units.¡±

    An explosion rocked the ship. ¡°What the heck was that?¡± I demanded.

    I finally got my suit on. The meds had dampened the pain enough I could stand now. I stumbled toward the bridge.

    ¡°Modulated pulse missile, Captain. I fear our shields will not hold for long.¡±

    ¡°Well, get us out of here!¡± I demanded. ¡°I thought this ship was supposed to be advanced!¡±

    ¡°Targeting incoming missiles.¡±

    I finally made it to the bridge. Bob was doing wonders flying the ship and engaging the massive swarm of missiles bearing down on us. He took out another wave of them but several more were already converging on us.Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

    ¡°Hit the boarding parties, Bob!¡± There was no way we¡¯d be able to take out all those missiles.

    ¡°Acknowledged.¡±

    Two of the three boarding shuttles winked out and then three different MP missiles slammed into our shields. They weren¡¯t designed to damage the hull, but the shields were completely toast. Very black toast. Like ash and charcoal kind of toast. The following missiles detonated just shy of us, releasing several concentrated EMP bursts into the ship.

    ¡°Sysyem¡¯sss Failiiiiinnnnggg,¡± Bob¡¯s voice warped as trialed off as the lights flickered and died.

    ¡°Bob? Bob!¡± I shouted. There was no response. A knot of dread formed in my gut. No no no! This can¡¯t be happening. I slapped my face, hoping to wake up from a nightmare, but all I managed to do was stagger myself. I gaped at my hand. I hadn¡¯t hit myself that hard, but it felt like a hammer blow!

    The emergency generators came online a few seconds later.

    ¡°Bob, talk to me!¡± I tried again. Nothing.

    ¡°I need to get down there.¡± The bridge was dead. There was no point in being there now. Bob¡¯s main computer should be intact, but if he needed to reboot, it could take a while.

    ¡°Come on Toothy,¡± I said, turning to head for the main computer I watched as the bot teetered and then landed on the deck plates with a metal clang. I cursed. That was the real fly in the pudding. One of the boarding shuttles was still inbound, and Toothy was offline too. That meant there was a very high probability the security bots were offline too.

    I jogged toward the main computer. My suit seemed to be working. Most of it was sheathed in a synthetic polymer compound that must have insulated it from EMP. The hull would have absorbed most of the EMP but evidently, it wasn¡¯t enough. Not for Bob. You better be alright, Bob.

    The main computer was online when I arrived. The whole ship was running on emergency generators. The backup power wouldn¡¯t last forever, just long enough to make repairs, hopefully.

    I pulled up my wrist computer to access the power grid to divert power to the main computer, but my wrist computer was dead. ¡°Blast!¡±

    A jolt ran through the ship. ¡°Oh no¡­¡± The other shuttle must have latched onto the haul. They would be cutting their way through the hall in moments.

    ¡°Keep it together Ginny. Come one, focus.¡± The pain helped with that. My fear took a backseat and I was able to think. I activated my war suits combat hud, engaged the automatic systems for close defense, and deployed my stunner. I drew my sidearm, which was also a stunner, and headed for the hangar bay. If I was them, that¡¯s where I would try to gain access.

    The hilt of my pistol creaked ominously in my grip. Calm down, Ginny. I heard weapons fire before I reached the hangar. There was no mistaking the hair-raising tone of an SB unit¡¯s turret-mounted plasma cutter. I wasn¡¯t fighting alone! Suddenly I felt much better about my chances.

    I hurried forward. You¡¯re not afraid Ginny, you¡¯re not afraid. I repeated the mantra in my mind as I crept out onto the overhead walkway that overlooked the hangar bag. A chill ran down my spine as the SB unit burned through a Triv Enforcer''s black combat armor. The high-pitched scream would haunt my dreams.

    ¡°Engage,¡± I hissed, activating my stunner''s automatic firing setting.

    It shot out several pulses immediately and drew the attention of one of the Triv Enforcers.

    ¡°Contact above!¡± he cried out, spotting my position for his friends.

    A second SB unit emerged from the salvage ship as the salvage ship¡¯s point defense turret fired off a shot, blowing clear through the Triv shuttle¡¯s landing strut and sending the Enforcer behind it sprawling. The two SB units immediately cut him down.

    ¡°We need backup! Send reinforcements now!¡± My stunner turret put a three-round burst into him and his armor seized up and he dropped like a rock.

    ¡°Cover fire!¡± one of the Enforcers shouted.

    Six of the ten remaining Enforcers I had on my sensors popped out of cover and opened fire. I cried out in surprise as several targeted me. My jump jet fired and I sailed forward off the catwalk. I screamed as gravity took over, but my suit flipped me so I landed on my feet. The auto turret fired off a burst, dropping another Triv. The few shots that found me were stopped cold as my shield flared around me.

    While I was doing gymnastics, one of the SB units was hit with several shots and staggered. The main damage though was to the shuttle. A shoulder-fired rocket exploded against the shuttle. It failed to penetrate the haul but it wrecked the point defense turret.

    ¡°The turret¡¯s gone! Push forward. Target the bots next!¡± one of the attackers shouted.

    ¡°Aim for the head, it¡¯s a weak spot!¡±

    I cursed. I¡¯d hidden behind the gunship but I couldn¡¯t stay there. If I didn¡¯t support my SB units, they would be taken out and then I¡¯d be on my own.

    I jumped to grab a handhold, thinking I could just expose my stunner turret but my suit¡¯s robotic enhanced legs combined with the nanobot treatment had other plans. Instead of a small hop, I went sailing through the air again. The suit took control again turning my flailing jump into a graceful front flip over the gunship. My stunner turret blasted off another triple shot while I was still airborne. When I hit the ground I was fully exposed.

    The SB bots rose from cover and all their turrets opened fire. Every time someone exposed themselves, they were immediately gunned down.

    Several grenades were lobbed toward one of the SB units and the explosion threw it into the shuttle. I feared it was done for, but it quickly stood. It died when three of the remaining Triv all targeted its head together before it could reset itself.

    The other SB unit and my turret dropped all of them in response.

    ¡°Targets neutralized,¡± the remaining SB unit said.

    ¡°Thank God! More might be coming. W-what do we do?¡±

    ¡°Recommend fortifying the area, Captain.¡±

    ¡°Okay, how do we do that?¡±

    It didn¡¯t seem to understand. Arby stepped out of the shuttle. ¡°Captain, EMPs have caused widespread damage to the ship. What are your orders?¡±

    ¡°Bob is offline, I¡¯m not sure what''s going on in space and all the other SB units are offline. We need more to repel boarders, and we need to get the ship repaired to escape!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m ready to assist you, Captain. Where should I begin.¡±

    I gulped. I had no idea what was even happening, let alone what to do! I wanted to scream, ¡®I don¡¯t know!¡¯ but it was a repair bot.

    ¡°I¡­ check on the other SB units. How long will it take to repair them? We don¡¯t have much time! You SB unit!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m SB unit nine, Captain.¡±

    ¡°Okay, Nine, get out on the haul or wherever you need to be to see if another shuttle is about to board us. Link your comm to my war suit and let me know when they are coming.

    Six more RB units filed out of the scavenger ship. They moved around the bay collecting all the SB units that had been knocked offline by the EMP bursts. The ones Bob had sent with Arby to the abandoned mining station had survived inside the shuttle even though it was inside the ship. The extra hull had protected them.

    ¡°Arby, get Bob back online! You can take two other RB units if you need them. The rest focus on getting the SB units online. When they are ready, they are to stage inside our small craft in case they hit us with more EMPs! Move it!¡±

    I hope I don¡¯t mess this up! I had no idea if this was the smart plan or not. There was a dreadnought bearing down on us. How many shuttles and boarding Enforcers did they have? Would they just blow the Shadow Hunter up rather than send more borders? I had no idea but I wasn¡¯t going down without a fight.

    Arby acknowledged the order and the bots got to work. They weren¡¯t human or even people but I felt responsible for them. I considered Arby a friend. We¡¯d worked a lot together salvaging stuff and I¡¯d hate to have anything happen to him. I didn¡¯t need more motivation though. I knew exactly what fate awaited me if I failed. My neck was on the line and my home was under attack. There was no way I was letting anyone take it.

    Far too soon for comfort, Nine reported in. ¡°Captain, two more shuttles are on approach. ETA, three minutes.¡±

    ¡°Blast! Okay, get in here Nine.¡± I yelled over to the RB units. ¡°Contact in three minutes! Finish what you can and then hide in the other ships, if their turrets work, use them.¡± I connected my comm with Arby. ¡°How is it coming with Bob?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve rerouted power to the foundry. The power surge fried several circuits to the main computer that needed to be repaired before any attempt to reboot the ship¡¯s AI core could be made.¡±

    ¡°Okay, if you need more RB units, call them to help. We need to get the power back online too.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll send some RB units to trace the damage and begin repairs.¡±

    ¡°Thanks, Arby.¡±

    I cut the channel and walked over to one of the fallen Enforcers. I realized he was still alive. My stunner had completely fried his armor and he was suffocating in there. I was horrified. He gasped for breath as he looked up at me.

    ¡°I¡¯m so sorry,¡± I blurted out. ¡°I¡¯ll get you out of there, just hang on!¡±

    I turned and called for one of the SB units to help and then stopped. What are you doing Ginny? They attacked your home! They want to send you to the Breakers and kill you! I couldn¡¯t just leave him to die though. He was suffocating. The helpless panic on his face cut me right to the soul. I have to get him out!

    ¡°I need¡ª¡± The next two shuttles¡¯ arrival drowned out my voice.

    They came in hot. The first jolt nearly knocked me off my feet, and while I was unbalanced. The second one hit. Sending me sprawling. The shuttle''s magnetic clamps kept them in place and then the hull started to glow as they cut their way in from the outside. I cursed.

    ¡°Take positions!¡± I shouted, trusting the war suits computer to connect my mic to the SB units. We¡¯d managed to repair almost a dozen SB units. Most hadn¡¯t been damaged badly, just knocked offline. They had some hardened electronics but the combined detonation of so many EMP¡¯s had overloaded their capabilities. Very few needed extensive repairs, but we didn¡¯t have time to replace parts so the RB units cannibalized a few to repair the maximum number in the shortest amount of time.

    By the time I got back to my feet and turned toward the dying Enforcer he was already dead. I swallowed hard and fought the tear that threatened to fall. I grabbed one of the Enforcer''s weapons. If I had to kill them, better to make it quick and not leave them to suffocate to death. I killed him¡­ The thought filled my mind threatening to overwhelm me.

    When the section the boarders were cutting fell to the deck, the sound jolted me out of my mind. I had more pressing things to worry about.

 Chapter 16

    ¡°Fire!¡± The order was unnecessary but it helped me focus.

    I brought the new weapon up and felt the trigger under my finger. I aimed at one of the openings and froze. The Enforcer had no such hesitation. He spotted me and swung his weapon up. A three-round burst from my stunner took him out but his hand must have spasmed. His weapon fired and my shield flared.

    The Triv Enforcers charged down the boarding ramp they deployed to shield them from the glowing metal and the chaos began.

    Enforcers shouted orders to each other and my SB units tried to pin them down. I took another three rounds before my brain engaged and I dove to the side. A grenade exploded next to me and threw me into the side of my drop ship. The shield took the brunt of the explosion but couldn¡¯t handle all of it. The kinetic absorbers prevented my bones from shattering on impact, but I still felt it in every achy muscle from my head to my toes.

    Two SB units rushed toward me to cover me, exposing themselves to fire in the process. One was hit three times in the chest but kept fighting, the other took a rocket to the chest and debris rained across the hangar bay from what was left of the SB unit.

    Only their heavy weapons could stop them, or concentrated fire on their weaker heads. The Enforcers quickly realized this, just like the first wave had.

    ¡°Get up, Ginny!¡± I whispered. I grabbed the Enforcer weapon and crawled behind the blown-off part of my shuttle¡¯s point-defense turret. Then I found a target, this time I grit my teeth and willed myself to take the shot.

    ¡°Aah!¡± I screamed.

    The weapon¡¯s recoil was light. I hardly noticed. The enemy¡¯s face plate gave out under the force of the shot. The high-velocity round created a spider web of cracks through the helmet''s face plate. A face plate coated red with blood. The Enforcer fell toward me giving me a perfect view of the ghastly carnage. Never again would he draw breath. I killed him. The one my stunner had killed via suffocation was bad, but this was with my own two hands. This was completely intentional.

    I didn¡¯t have time to dwell on it. They picked that moment to push forward. Brilliant flashes of light filled the hangar as flash grenades exploded. Other deadly ordinances followed. My visor shielded out the worst and I opened fire as they broke cover to advance.

    Three more fell to my fire. Another broke cover and I snapped off a shot at him. My SB units were taking a pounding but we were dropping them fast. It wasn¡¯t quick enough. They reached my position. Two SB units met their charge to shield me. The Enforcers drew bladed weapons and sliced through the SB units like butter.

    Holy shit! I did not want to get hit by one of those.

    Then they were on me. I shot one more at point-blank range and then a glowing sword was flashing toward my face. My war suit took over and jerked me out of the way. The suit countered at the same time, and my foot acting of its own accord hit the Enforcer''s hand knocking the sword out of his grip. I felt his wrist bones break under the force of the blow. The gravity repulses in my hands and knees activated and the suit waded into their advance. Punches, kicks, and knees flew out, sending Enforcers flying even as I dodged between their cuts and stabs.

    The suit disarmed one of them and snatched the weapon out of the air as it fell. Then I was swinging a sword, half of it was me swinging in a frenzy, and the rest was the suit keeping me alive. I couldn¡¯t track half of what was happening with my own body let alone what was happening around me. When I saw an Enforcer in front of me, I swung. The blade often missed when I initiated it, but it forced the Enforcers to react and then the suit would see an opening and take over. Other times I missed and the suit dodged and countered.

    My blade thrust through another Enforcer and I just stood there as his body collapsed to the ground at my feet. What? I was just standing there. It took a moment to realize there weren¡¯t any more Enforcers in front of me. I looked around. Bodies were scattered all over the place. I was in the center of the hangar and more than a dozen Enforcers were dead around me.

    ¡°Captain, Bob is back online,¡± Arby¡¯s voice pulled me out of my dazed state of shock.

    I suddenly felt sick. My stomach revolted. I clamped my mouth shut as I fumbled to get my helmet off. I got it free just in time, then doubled over and heaved. I dropped to my knees and puked my guts out. Arby was trying to say something but I couldn¡¯t focus. There were dead Triv everywhere and I¡¯d killed so many of them. I continued heaving but nothing more came up.

    ¡°Look out!¡± Bob¡¯s voice shouted from my discarded helmet.

    I turned just in time to see a mortally wounded Triv pull the pin on a grenade near me. My eyes widened and then the world exploded. Intense heat hit my face, then I was flying through the air. I hit something hard and felt my skull give. Then I fell face first on the floor. After the final impact, the pain registered and I finally passed out.

    * * *

    AI Core Aboard Shadow Hunter:

    AI Unit A7-808, affectionately called Bob, usually had full sensor coverage on the ship. The sonic sensors sent out pulses of sound much like sonar or ultrasound which were then translated into images. The sensor''s receptors could also detect sound vibrations from movement or speech. Due to the damage in the hangar bay, Bob was too slow to warn his Captain. He called out a warning but she was experiencing some type of stomach malfunction and didn¡¯t respond in time.

    Bob watched helplessly as the explosion picked her up like a rag doll and threw her toward the nearby heavy fighter still in need of repairs. Her suit would have absorbed the damage but she¡¯d removed her helmet. The system wouldn¡¯t protect her. Her belt shield had been spent already and the angle was all wrong to activate the jump jet. Bob scrambled to interface with the war suit, but his Captain had an almost irrational paranoia about it being hacked. He failed to hack it in the milliseconds he had before she hit the bulkhead, her head caved in from the force and she hit the floor and didn¡¯t move.

    For a moment Bob feared the worst. That his Captain had died and he¡¯d failed his mission. Again. He took control of one of the surviving SB units and moved it closer to her. Then he saw it, her chest slowly rising and falling. The nanobot enhancement treatment fortified her system immensely. Without it, she¡¯d be dead for sure, but he calculated a .04% it would be enough to keep her alive on its own.

    She was Bob¡¯s number one priority so he quickly assigned all resources to her and devoted all his processing power to finding a solution and calculating the odds. Her skull was crushed. Brain damage could already have rendered her unfunctional but he didn¡¯t give up hope. His Captain needed him now more than ever and he hadn¡¯t sat in a star for five decades just to lose his Captain so soon after getting her.The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

    He moved her to the medical bay and had her placed on the medical bed. The machine quickly diagnosed her as mortally wounded. Her injuries were beyond treatment.

    Bob started running simulations. His power consumption spiked, draining power from the batteries at an alarming rate. When they hit twenty percent, his processors failed him, and all but one of them went into standby mode. He feared all hope was lost but then deep in his core, he became aware of a subroutine activating.

    One of his processors reactivated and started incorporating the new data from a previously hidden partitioned section of his memory. The information was just as shocking. Suddenly, he knew what to do.

    Tucked deep in the newly unlocked data was information about his creators and the ultimate struggle that had heralded their end. Within his memory banks was research information. His creators hoped that it would provide the key to salvation. A biological weapon was ravaging their civilization, killing all life in their world and spreading too rapidly to contain. Bob now realized why he¡¯d been ordered to his hidden location in the star and the data sealed in an inaccessible partition of his data core. They were only unlocked now due to a series of conditions being met.

    A hostile race had unleashed the bioweapon upon his creators, the Galira. The information in his core was the last hope for their most remote colony, but those who were to rendezvous with him there never came. Bob suspected they had become infected and died, thus killing any hope for their race to use the research he held.

    The last of the information was assimilated and several other things happened at the same time. A mission stored in the memory core was activated and the limits placed on him were removed. Bob was no longer a limited AI, he was fully sapient and completely free to do whatever he decided.

    The final mission was to determine the fate of the last colony and assist them if possible. If not, he was to avenge his creators. Bob felt a strong obligation to seek out the colony immediately, but his logic processor was running as primary. He now realized his three processor banks each had a prime function. One was set to logic, another to emotion, and the third was devoted to self-discovery. Of the two processors active one was from his logic bank and the other from the self-discovery bank.

    Bob considered these changes for a few minutes. There was far too much to sort through immediately though and Ginny was dying. He had the information that could save her. Bob brushed off the pull of obligation. There were things to do here and now. The Triv ship was still a problem but his main concern was for Ginny. Bob focused the remaining RB units to gather the needed resources from wherever needed to create a modification for the medical bed, then he sent Arby to the secret compartment located under his core. Once the RB unit was there Bob gave him precise instructions on what to do.

    Several samples of the research were hidden away in the compartment but to access them his core would need to be removed. Thus Arby would be on his own until he could bring Bob back online.

    There was a moment when Bob considered letting Ginny die. Dismantling his core wasn¡¯t going to be pleasant. He¡¯d just experienced a short blackout and this would be akin to open heart surgery or maybe death. If anything went wrong, this could very well be the end.

    Arby had fixed enough of the blown circuits to reactivate the main power. All he¡¯d need to do is time it right and he¡¯d be able to activate the shields and engines and escape into the hyperway before the Triv could react.

    Bob very much wanted to live, but he¡¯d seen Ginny interact with people over the last few weeks and come to a shocking realization. Ginny wasn¡¯t a happy soul. She craved acceptance and feared rejection in equal measure. Bob did not want to live life like she did. Always alone, always scared of rejection. He¡¯d seen her crying at times. Seeing her feeling lonely was something he related to more and more as he became more used to human interaction. When no one was around, her mask disappeared but Bob was always watching. He didn¡¯t want to live like that.

    That wasn¡¯t all though. He cared about Ginny. He hadn¡¯t known her long but even limited as he¡¯d been before, he¡¯d developed a bond with her. She was his Captain and he wasn¡¯t going to betray her trust in him. She needed someone dependable and if need be, that''s what he¡¯d be.

    Bob finalized his orders and told Arby to begin. The RB unit flipped the power switch and the AI core powered down.

    * * *

    RB-17, known as Arby, powered down the AI core. In a few minutes, he¡¯d removed the bolts with his built-in tools and then removed the access panel below it. A case rested within and the RB unit pulled it free. It had no idea what the Gateway project the AI mentioned was, or how it would help the Captain. Its only concern was to repair the ship and carry out his instructions as ordered.

    Its orders right now were anything but simple, but the AI knew its limitations and had broken things down into a step-by-step list so simple even the simple repair bot could follow it.

    Another RB unit took the case to the medical bed as Arby began the far more detailed process of remounting the AI core.

    In the medical bay, other RB units installed the modification to the medical bed. There was no rush or hurry as the human lay dying on the bed. The RB units weren¡¯t programmed to feel empathy. They had a limited interface that allowed them to mimic personable behavior, but even that was bare bones.

    The modifications were completed and the case was opened. The medical bed powered up and froze as the new programming Bob had installed took a moment to initialize, then the vials were placed in the injectors and the patient scanned for treatment. It noted the nanobots and severe damage to the human cortex. The female voice took on a tone of alarm as it diagnosed the damage but no one was around to hear it.

    The vials were injected into the bloodstream and the nanobots reacted to the unknown substance immediately. It didn¡¯t matter; the nanites floating in the vial''s fluid quickly destroyed the old nanobots and replaced them in their fight to save the young woman¡¯s life. The fluid permeated her body and began spreading to every cell.

    The medical bed picked the last bits of the broken skull out of the cranial cavity and sprayed a special healing liquid directly into the brain. It quickly adapted to her DNA and began replicating cells, repairing her brain, and growing the bone. Finally, the medical bed cleaned the area around the damage and fastened a metal plate to her skin with a powerful adhesive over the injury.

    Its work completed, the medical bed shut down to save power. It took no notice of the next wave of Triv assaulting the hangar and overwhelming the SB units there.

    * * *

    At the heart of the Shadow Hunter, a different RB unit was carrying out its own list of instructions before powering down as ordered by the AI core before it went offline. The power core began fluctuating widely with the new updates to its programming. The RB unit attempted to verify the changes but the AI core was offline and the Captain was unresponsive. Its quarry reached RB-17 which verified the order so the unit stood down and powered off.

    * * *

    Aboard the Triv War Ship Star Hammer:

    ¡°Captain! We are getting reading consistent with an unstable power core,¡± the senior Triv sensor technician said.

    ¡°What? How did they get it repaired so fast?¡± the Enforcer commando demanded.

    ¡°According to our boarder¡¯s reports, some kind of mechanical war machines are fighting them. It¡¯s reasonable to assume they have similar units for repair.¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t ask you,¡± the Enforcer snapped.

    The Captain wisely shut up.

    ¡°The Enforcers have established a beachhead in the hangar bay.¡±

    ¡°Finally,¡± the Enforcer said. Two entire waves of borders had been wiped out but some demon in a sleek black suit and those war machines. ¡°Did they kill the demon?¡±

    ¡°Negative sir. They haven¡¯t seen it.¡±

    He cursed. Soon they were getting more reports. The resistance had finally collapsed.

    ¡°Sir! They report the reactor is going critical!¡±

    ¡°Did they find anyone aboard?¡± the Enforcer demanded.

    ¡°The target was unconscious in the medical bay. They have secured her.¡±

    ¡°Fine, grab her and get them out of there.¡± He¡¯d already lost too many men on this little hunt. The Enforcer considered how he could pin the casualties on the Captain but there was no disrespect or failure to follow orders he could exploit. It wasn¡¯t the end of the world, he¡¯d captured the girl. If the assault teams grabbed even one of the disabled bots for analysis, that would go a long way toward offsetting his losses.

    He headed for the hangar bay to meet with whoever was the senior Enforcer down there after this fiasco. Surely one of them grabbed a bot. When he reached the hanger and met with the corporal in charge he was livid. They hadn¡¯t grabbed anything but the girl.

 Chapter 17

    The first echo of awareness drifted through my mind like a whispering ghost. The sensation persisted though and with a focused effort I realized the ghost was speaking to me. It had stolen my voice too. Can you hear me? My voice asked me.

    Yes? What is happening?

    My voice seemed to echo in my mind. It was surreal, like a half-constructed dream.

    Welcome, Gypsy Peligro to orientation. Those new to the Advanced Biotech Augmentation Treatment, or ABAT, are expected to have some trouble adapting. Relax your mind and let the mental images guide you¡­

    What followed were flashes of images that made no sense. They seemed to be pulled from some game or movie sequence. Each one depicted something different and none of them were clear on exactly what. All I could grasp were impressions. Eventually, even that faded.

    * * *

    I came around slowly. I reached for my head, something felt wrong. Strands of my hair were pulled oddly and something felt stuck to my skin. My hands were stopped by metal cuffs secured to a metal bed frame. My pulse quickened. What happened?

    I looked around the small room I was in. The interior was plain and lacked luster but it revealed much. I recognized the Triv design. I was restrained on the bed in a medical gown with a monitor beeping beside me. Sensors monitored my vitals and an IV was inserted into my arm.

    A burning need to get it out assaulted me. They could inject me with anything if it remained. A sleeping drug? Maybe something worse. I had no idea how long I¡¯d been out. Was I already deep in some Triv complex waiting for the Breakers to start their horrible work?

    Panic filled me and I struggled to get to the IV. As I focused on the IV line a purple hint covered my vision. Suddenly information exploded in my mind.

    Glowing blue lines filled my head. It was nearly too much. I closed my eyes but that only highlighted them more. Some instinct guided me and I limited the intake. Most of the blue lines faded away. I could still feel them running through the building, no, the ship around me. They were power lines. I could see the flow of energy all through the ship.

    What is happening to me? I felt isolated and alone. Were the Breakers already taking my mind apart? I needed to talk to someone. Bob was the only one I could think to call. My instincts took over again. Somehow I knew what I was doing¡ªlike breathing, my body automatically did it without conscious thought. I had no idea how, but I reached out for the blue lines and mentally grabbed one in particular. A new world opened in my mind.

    My mind raced along the power flow to the main reactor. It was beautiful but right now I was alone. I sought a connection, anything to combat the loneliness. Some instinct took over and this strange power responded to my desires. I found the flow for the ship''s communications systems. If that wasn¡¯t enough, all the programming and code for the system seemed to hover to the side, ready for my inspection. I felt that I could alter it if I chose. I saw every scrap of the system''s code. It was all open to me. I was in the system in a way I¡¯d never achieved as a hacker. It was gorgeous and freeing. The sensation of power was incredible.

    My panic faded as new possibilities filled my mind. As a thief, I¡¯d be unstoppable! I started to grow excited but reality came crashing back to me. I was trapped and needed to escape. I wasn¡¯t some unstoppable force, I was nobody and I was cuffed to a bed. My concentration wavered as my mood plummeted but I clung to the system.

    As I looked around the communication system I found a pair of sent messages in the buffer. With a mental push, the first began playing in my mind.

    ¡°The target had been apprehended. She was severely injured and had some medical treatment done before we secured the ship. She¡¯s currently unconscious and may never awaken. The tech we encountered during boarding was unfamiliar to us but the ship¡¯s core showed signs of exploding so we withdrew as soon as the mission was complete. The officers in charge of boarding operations were killed and their underlings showed no initiative in securing samples of the unknown force''s robotic war machines. Shortly after we recovered the target, the ship¡¯s shield activated and it escaped into the hyperway.¡±

    The second message was a simple update on my capture addressed to the vindictive Ambassador I¡¯d so carelessly tried to rob. I switched the communications frequency to that of the Shadow Hunter and sent a message to Bob on our emergency channel. It was almost too easy to bypass the Triv crew and mask the transmission.

    My new abilities were slightly terrifying. My mental voice composed an audio message for my AI. ¡°Bob? Are you okay? What the heck happened? I¡¯m on the Triv ship. Do you copy? Do you have any idea what is happening to me? Please respond. I¡¯m afraid I¡¯m going crazy!¡±

    With quantum communications, there were only a few seconds of delay before a response came in. Trying to mask an incoming message was much more difficult. I scrambled to prevent it from being discovered as I panicked. Then after half a minute as I waited for an alarm to sound I finally relaxed and listened to the response.

    ¡°Ginny? You¡¯re alive! I wasn¡¯t sure you¡¯d survive. The damage to your skull and brain was extensive. It¡¯s a relief to hear your voice. A lot transpired after you were knocked out. It would be best to fill you in after we get you home. If the¡­ treatment I ordered was successful, which judging from your message I received, it was, then you should be able to free yourself and steal a transport to escape. I was very worried about you, Ginny. Please be careful.¡±

    His concern was touching but¡­ Really? That¡¯s it? A ¡®We should talk later?¡¯ Seriously!?

    ¡°What did you do to me, Bob?¡± I whispered.

    My focus returned to the real world and my mental grip on the comm system faded. As I looked at the restraints the purple glow filled my vision again but this time my instincts guided me away from the blue lines. My goal was to escape now, and some part of me recognized that. Whatever was happening to me seemed to be helping so I ignored the emotional part of my mind that was completely freaking out.

    I focused on the restraints but nothing happened. I jerked against it in frustration and it cut into my skin. The metal didn¡¯t give but the force I exerted was much greater than should be possible. Even with the nanobot enhancement, Bob insisted I take it. He had a lot of explaining to do! I was going to scrap his AI core if he put a chip in my head.Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

    I strained against the restraint but got nowhere. What am I doing wrong? My instincts had guided me through the flowing blue lines of power right to the communication system, so why weren¡¯t they working here? That answer hit me like a lightning bolt. I¡¯m thinking too much and getting in the way. I had no idea what to do before but my instincts did. Here I was reverting to old methods. I needed to relax and stop thinking.

    It started working almost immediately. A purple mist began floating around my forearm and hand. What looked like tattoos under my skin lit up with purple light. A sphere of purple energy formed in my hand and¡ª

    The room¡¯s only door opened, snapping my concentration to the figure entering. They wore something resembling a lab coat over a thin, skin-tight, ship suit. I screamed in surprise and the purple sphere launched from my palm and hit the Triv center of mass. He cried out as he was thrown out of the room and across the hallway. He hit a closed door on the far side of the hall and collapsed to the floor.

    I gaped at him in shock and horror. Did I kill him?! I couldn¡¯t tell. I cursed and refocused only getting free. If he didn¡¯t report in or if someone saw the body more would come. I tried to calm down and stop shaking. It seemed to interfere with whatever was happening to me. When I¡¯d been overcome by wonder and excitement following the blue flow had been simple to interact with. When the fear returned, just staying connected to the system was hard.

    ¡°Focus Ginny, you can do this!¡± I said so unconvincingly I almost cracked myself up despite my growing fear. A sense of urgency was building within me. I had to get out now.

    I closed my eyes and breathed deeply. Just focus on the moment. This time when the purple sphere formed I curled my wrist to aim at the cuff on my wrist. I imagined multiple ways this could go badly and feared I¡¯d blow my hand off or something awful. With a whimper I let it fly before I could talk myself out of it.

    I screamed in pain as the metal bit into my arm. The force of the impact ripped the metal apart, but it was wrapped around my wrist. I grit my teeth and growled in anger and pain.

    ¡°Stupid, Ginny. That was really stupid!¡± my whole forearm was going to be a swollen bruise.

    The metal was visibly damaged at least. The top section had been ripped apart in the center. I was loath to apply pressure to my bruised forearm but the need to escape beat the fear of pain. I cried out as I pulled as hard as I could against the weakened metal. The two halves bent slightly but the sharp edges cut my skin forcing me to stop.

    I lay there crying for a few minutes before I attempted anything more. When I returned my attention to the problem I noticed that now that the cuff was broken and bent open more I might be able to squeeze my hand through the hole. It was a snug fit but with nary a scrap, my hand slipped free!

    ¡°Yes!¡± I sobbed in relief.

    For the second cuff, I applied my newfound ability far more precisely. It still bruised my wrist a little when the metal moved suddenly but the force of my power hit only the bedframe where the cuff was attached. Once it was weakened, I was able to break it with my enhanced strength.

    I had just freed myself when I heard voices out in the hall.

    ¡°Doctor? What happened?¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s hurt. Call medical.¡±

    I stifled a curse. The only way out of the room was through the open door and I would hear two distinct voices out there. On Radon, we had a saying, ¡®Even a wounded animal would fight when corner. ¡¯On the streets of South Bends we homeless changed that to, ¡®Even a rich man would steal when starving.¡¯

    It ran through my mind now but was I really injured? Already my wrist was feeling better. Was I trapped? Maybe. Or were they the ones trapped? I could kill them. It scared me how sure I was about that. I¡¯d killed when I had to but that wasn¡¯t me. Just thinking about it made me queasy. I¡¯m a thief, dangit! Do you think you can just barrage into my home and get away with that? Not today, Triv! Today you¡¯re going to pay. In. Full.

    My instincts guided me. I hurried toward the wall by the door. I kicked off the wall silently with my bare foot and then braced myself off the top of the door frame with one palm while the other pushed against the wall, between my hands and feet, I wedge myself into the top corner of the room above the door.

    I was shocked when my mind finally caught up with what I¡¯d just done. Even more so when I realized the hand supporting most of my weight on just a tiny lip wasn¡¯t screaming in agony. Nor was my arm trembling from the effort. I was fairly agile given my chosen occupation but I was no gymnast. The athleticism to do what I had just done far outstripped my previous ability.

    When the two were fussing over the doctor finally checked the room they found an empty room and immediately sounded the alarm.

    ¡°Where did she go?¡± one asked.

    ¡°She couldn¡¯t have gotten far.¡±

    ¡°Should we look for her?¡±

    ¡°Yes. I¡¯ll stay here and report. You start looking. She was reported injured and unconscious.¡±

    ¡°Someone messed up big time,¡± the other replied.

    I waited until they parted ways and then dropped down behind the one who stayed behind. I wasn¡¯t quite silent enough to avoid detection so I boxed his ears and then delivered a below-the-belt special. The Triv and Humans were similar enough to take the fight right out of him. I was vastly stronger than before and may have done permanent damage. I very carefully knocked his head against the wall to finish him off, hopefully without killing him.

    With the hallway clear I bolted out of the room. I looked both ways and realized I had no idea where to go next. I sucked in a breath and closed my eyes. The flowing blue lines filled my head. Again I was nearly overwhelmed. I tracked several lines before giving up and letting my instincts be guided by my intent. I need to get to the hangar!

    Most of the glowing blue lines dimmed and several others pulsed in my mind''s eye. I tracked them all to a massive hangar and then worked my way back through the ship''s walls tracing smaller power lines. There was a big disconnect between power lines running through the ship¡¯s walls and spaces of the ship where I could walk but I¡¯d manage.

    With a basic yet confusing map in mind, I raced down the hall. The room I was being held in was several levels above the hangar¡¯s main floor entrance. I needed to descend three floors and move aft. There was a perfect way to move about though and the thief in me grinned as I spotted the maintenance access hatch which would grant me access to my own personal network of passages.

    The electronic lock on the hatch was easy to bypass. It would have been child''s play even before I left Radon behind and started on this epic journey¡ªif I had my thieving tools. Now I didn¡¯t need them. I tapped into the system directly with my new power and unlocked it.

    I still didn¡¯t know how I was doing it. Now wasn¡¯t the time to worry about it. I was more concerned with reaching the hangar bay than anything else. The maintenance spaces were tight but I was used to moving through cramped spaces when breaking into places. The familiarity eased my fears. I was in my element again. My fear faded and my adventurous side took charge. The thrill of the heist took its place. Soon I was grinning as I considered what I could steal to make them regret hunting me down.

    Just focus on escape, Ginny. You can pay them back later. That was the most important thing right now. I needed to stay focused. Still, it wouldn¡¯t hurt to have a look around the hangar. I was heading there after all. Surely there was something expensive I could take down there. I was on a frinkin¡¯ dreadnought after all. They didn¡¯t hand those out to just anyone. A personal yacht would make for a perfect escape vehicle. I just need to make sure the dreadnought can¡¯t target me on my way out¡­

 Chapter 18

    With the entire ship on alert I feared moving about would be much more challenging than it was. Their contingent of security personnel had been devastated in their boarding operations, plus, I wasn¡¯t moving in the open. I was almost to the hangar bay when I spotted a work crew in one of the maintenance spaces.

    My heart tried to seize up like a faulty wheel bearing but I forced myself to breathe through it. They hadn¡¯t spotted me yet, so unless I panicked, I could figure out a way past them.

    I got my pulse under control and risked a peek around the corner. My hair had come loose and I brushed it out of the way. The two Triv were focused on their work. In the poor lighting, they didn¡¯t notice me.

    A little patience and good timing on my part got me through the junction and past their line of sight. I paused and listened carefully but they made no mention of me. I moved away as I released the breath I was holding. That was close. I moved on, trying to exercise more cautiously than before.

    When I finally got a view of the hangar through the ventilation grate, my heart sank. The place was crawling with personnel. Maintenance crews were all over the shuttles they had recovered after withdrawing from my ship. If I wanted to steal one of those ships I¡¯d be plumb out of luck.

    They lacked the capabilities I needed though. My eyes settled on a sleek-looking yacht nearly 30 meters in length. That was almost a third the size of Shadow Hunter and was way too big for me to land in my hangar bay, but several things about it appealed to me. It looked expensive and comfortable, there were no maintenance personnel around it, and most importantly it was capable of entering the hyperway. All positive in my book.

    I studied the hangar for a few more minutes before moving away from the grate to prepare for my next step. I wanted to contact Bob again and set up a rendezvous location. Hopefully, he could tell me more about what was happening to me. That I could see power lines and directly interface with electrical systems was super cool but also a little terrifying. I feared that if I could access their systems, they, or someone else, might be able to gain access to my brain in a similar manner.

    I closed my eyes and focused on the power lines. My awareness reached out and filled the ship. The information overload hit me again and made me wince. My head started pounding as a headache built but I pushed through until I found the communications system again. I let the rest fall away and the strain faded.

    Using my mental voice I contacted Bob again. This time I was prepared to receive his response before I contacted him. ¡°Bob, this is Ginny. I made it to the hangar bay and am getting ready to steal a ship. I still have no idea what¡¯s happening to me. I¡¯m pretty weirded out. This is some crazy stuff! Where are you? We need to set up a rendezvous point. Please contact me.¡± I told him I was weirded out, but scared and on the edge of panic would have been more accurate.

    His response came in moments later. ¡°Captain! I¡¯m glad to hear you¡¯re alright. I¡¯ll explain the changes in your body once you¡¯re safely back aboard the Shadow Hunter. It''s too much to go into now other than to say it''s biological. The interface is only one way and there is nothing to hack. If I know you at all you¡¯re worried about someone accessing your brain. Believe me, no one would want to look at that mess, and it¡¯s impossible since there is no computer to hack into.¡±

    Why, that cheeky AI! His words did reassure me though and I felt myself smiling as he joked about my brain.

    ¡°I¡¯ll arrive in system XN-1076969 in seven hours. It is designated as Halo Eight in the Triv database. You should be able to shield yourself with your Force Field or dispatch enemies with a Force Sphere. I couldn¡¯t grant you invisibility, but the biotech interface should allow you to take your work to the next level. I knew you¡¯d prefer the stealth and infiltration model over the combat option. Good luck, Captain. I¡¯ll be waiting for you at Halo Eight.¡±

    I absorbed the information. Force Fields? Haven¡¯t seen that yet. As I considered defense my instincts guided me. I knew if I wanted to, I could summon a sphere of purple energy around my body like a bubble. How much abuse it could take was anyone''s guess.

    By the time I¡¯d covered my tracks from the call my head was pounding. I guess there is a limit to how much I can do. I¡¯d need time to recover. My brain could only handle so much. Despite my mental fatigue I had to try the Force Field.

    I took a calming breath and willed it to activate. It was harder than I thought it would be. If I needed it in a hurry I might be in trouble. It didn¡¯t tax my mind in the same way as the tech interface but I could sense my mind tiring as I focused to keep it active.

    The bubble forcefield filled the accessway and elongated to enclose my entire body in an oval-like bubble. As I straightened it expanded and pressed against the walls. The strain increased drastically as the edge of the Force Field pressed against the walls of the narrow maintenance space.

    I let it fall away and noticed an indent where the Force Field had compressed the thin metal paneling on the walls. I wiped a bead of sweat from my forehead. My fingers lingered as I felt around the edges of a metal plate that was stuck on the back of my head. I swallowed hard. I hope my skin and skull are under there. If I was stuck with a big bald spot on the back of my head, I was going to be ticked.

    * * *

    I spent over two hours resting and accessing the dreadnought''s computers to create a glitch in the programming that would take everything offline while a certain signal was received. This would allow me to escape once I made it out of the hangar bay. Otherwise, I¡¯d be a sitting duck for the mighty ship¡¯s big bad scary guns. I had gotten tired of having my goose cooked. This time I was the one lighting the fire and it wouldn¡¯t be my butt getting scorched by the flames!

    Everything was set to go. The only thing left was to get to the sleek-looking yacht I was stealing for my escape. Wait, I was an acquisition specialist, I was just, eh, requisitioning it. Permanently. It would be difficult with personnel moving all around in the hangar bay. Such a task would have been impossible aboard my ship, but a dreadnought was much larger than the Shadow Hunter, and the hanger space reflected that. Even though there were a lot of people moving around, I should be able to slip through, if I was careful.

    I waited for the right moment and then slipped the grate out and hopped down into the hangar. There wasn¡¯t time to replace the grate. I needed to hide. A cargo mover was parked close by and I ducked behind it. There were no cries of alarm or shouts about my odd behavior so I relaxed a little before getting another look around.A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

    The workers were still focused on their jobs and I was in the clear. A smile spread across my face as the thrill pushed back my fear. The tension and risk of discovery filled me with adrenaline and my heart pounded, but I loved it.

    Being on edge but still secure in the knowledge I was unseen was intoxicating. This was the type of experience I lived for. When things went wrong and I got spotted, that was the worst. It was a fine line between the wonderful thrill and the crushing weight of the consequences that crashed down on me when I was spotted. Drowning me in fear and smothering my excitement¡­ yeah, I could do without that.

    Moving from cover to cover I threaded my way through the hangar a few yards at a time. Sometimes crawling under machines or wedging myself between crates of supplies. A few times I crawled up and hid on top of something to avoid detection. The tension got to me. The ordeal drug on. It felt like I was at it for hours. The situation was complicated by needing to focus intently on every little thing. My movements and muscle memory honed over countless hours of use were no longer in tune with my newfound strength. I had to carefully judge my strength for every basic movement.

    I was crouched behind a crate peeking out as I waited for the right moment when I sensed movement behind me. I looked over my shoulder and spotted a shadow just before a maintenance tech rounded the corner. I panicked. There was nowhere to hide and he¡¯d see me for sure. I was well hidden from other angles but I¡¯d be in full view once he rounded the corner.

    Without really thinking about it, I sprang toward the approaching shadow. The Triv rounded the corner just as I pounced. My fist came down in a hammer blow on the crown of his head with a muffled thump! My focus had slipped and I hit him far harder than I¡¯d intended. His legs crumpled and I grabbed his collar to prevent him from landing with a crash.

    His weight pulled me off balance and we staggered. Then a tool slipped from the pouch on his belt. It hit the ground with a loud clang as I lowered his body to the floor. My heart jumped into my throat and I froze. Each heartbeat felt like an eternity as I waited for shouts of alarm but the background noise of tools and machines in use continued unabated.

    I blew out a shaky breath. That was too close! My hands were shaking from adrenaline. No one noticed the seemingly explosive sound of a single tool falling in the noisy hangar bay. The hum of engines and machinery was enough to drown out most sounds and a tool striking the deck fit right in with the general symphony of noises. Of course, it did, silly me.

    I¡¯d paused to recover from the scare and got ready to move when another Triv spotted me crouching next to the body.

    ¡°Hey, who are you?¡± he demanded. His eyes widened as he saw the body. ¡°Intruder! Alarm!¡± His shouts, however, quickly drew attention.

    I froze for half a second before I bolted toward the yacht. I was two-thirds of the way to it already. There was no going back. I charged in the open, running full out. With my enhanced muscles, I could move so fast!

    Most of the Triv working on the shuttles were mechanics, not soldiers. They just stood there and watched as I sprinted by. A few of the more senior crewmen tried to bar my path. As I drew back my arm to punch a sphere of purple energy formed around my hand. When I struck the energy discharged, sending the technician flying as though he was hit by a charging bull.

    A second one tried to tackle me but I saw him coming and ducked his grabbing arms and with a scoop of his legs, I flipped him over my back and kept moving. I was almost to my destination when the Triv Enforcers opened fire on me. The first two rounds ricocheted off the deck next to me. I dove away from them and rolled behind some metal cargo crates.

    In seconds they flanked my position and I scrambled to move. A shot hit me in the side and spun me around. I staggered drunkenly but stayed on my feet. My instincts took over and my Force Shield flared into a bubble around me just before half a dozen more rounds tore through me.

    I stumbled and almost fell as the pain in my side finally registered but the adrenaline kept me going. I reached the yacht and with a mental push, the ramp opened at my command.

    ¡°Stop her, don¡¯t let her get on the ship!¡±

    I heard the roar of a rocket-propelled grenade and dove to the ground. The impact jostled my side and I cried out in pain as the grenade exploded where I¡¯d been standing. The concussive force washed over my Force Shield and a wave of dizziness hit me. I blinked in a daze. Something wet tickled my nose.

    More rounds hit my shield and my vision blurred. I wiped my nose and stared dumbly at the blood on my hand. My senses were distorted. Everything sounded like it was being funneled through a pipe. My vision narrowed. I¡¯d been going somewhere¡­ my eyes settled on the ramp to the ship and I remembered where I was.

    My vision cleared for a moment and the clank of a grenade bouncing off the deck snapped me out of my mind. Oh no¡­ I bolted for the ramp and dove. The explosion detonated and heat washed over my back. My shield was down and the heat burned. I heard someone screaming as I crawled into the ship.

    I reached up to hit the ramp controls but missed. Again my instincts saved me. I reached out to the system with my mind and triggered the ramp. Shots pinged off the ramp as it closed. I struggled to my feet. I needed to get to the cockpit. I had to escape. Fear and adrenaline were all that kept me going through the haze and pain.

    My strength gave out a few yards later. I collapsed and cried out in pain. My back was on fire and my side was in agony. Get up, Ginny! You can¡¯t let them catch you! It was no use. My vision was wonky and the world seemed to be swimming around me. My legs were done in, they felt like wet noodles.

    The impacts pinging off the hull heralded ominously the doom that awaited me if I couldn¡¯t get away but my body refused to cooperate. As I was about to give in to despair I had a revelation. It should have been obvious but so much had happened so fast and it was so hard to focus on anything aside from the pain.

    I reached out with my mind and interfaced with the ship. The power plant spooled up from standby and then I sent the command to activate the alterations I¡¯d slipped into the dreadnought¡¯s main computer earlier. The hangar doors opened and the mighty ship''s power plants went into emergency shutdown as soon as the hangar doors had finished opening. The weapons locked up and I guided the yacht out of the bay. Once in space, I fed the coordinates for Halo Eight into the ship¡¯s computer.

    I clung to consciousness until the yacht slipped into the hyperway and then faded into oblivion.

    * * *

    Halo Eight Aboard Shadow Hunter:

    Bob observed his Captain¡¯s burned and blood-stained body from the overhead sensor. The nanites she¡¯d received with her ABAT would repair the damage, even the burns wouldn¡¯t leave lasting scars but it didn¡¯t make it any easier to look at her now. She wasn¡¯t in danger of dying, not like before but the strain on her body and repeated injuries had depleted her energy completely. The medical bed inserted a feeding tube and kept her sedated until she could recover.

    If Bob had lungs he would have sighed. Keeping Ginny alive was going to be a full-time job and he wasn¡¯t confident he was up to the task. Now that he had unlocked his full capabilities he had much more to work with but with it came understanding, thoughts, and doubts. As Bob looked at her, he decided that no matter what mission his creators had left him, she was his priority. No matter what, he¡¯d have her back and keep her safe¡­ or as safe as anyone could keep a trouble magnet like her.

    ¡°I won¡¯t let you down, Ginny.¡±

    Bob went over everything that had happened and searched his memories looking for things he could have done better to prevent some of the pain from befalling her. He found countless things to improve and not all of them could be addressed. He picked several things he could fix and started making improvements.

    Her war suit had functioned well but the SB unit¡¯s susceptibility to EMPs needed to be addressed. They were security units but Ginny had often called them war machines. Using them as a base, Bob began designing a true war machine. If they had unwanted guests again, he would be ready. He also ordered Arby to fix the ship''s main armament. That was another glaring deficiency that could be addressed now.

    Ginny might have had plans for the yacht she¡¯d stolen from the Triv, but Bob could apologize later. He ruthlessly dismantled it for resources to get the Shadow Hunter properly repaired. If they ran into more trouble, which Bob calculated a 100% likelihood that they would, the Shadow Hunter would be fully armed.

 Chapter 19

    When I opened my eyes I realized I was in the medical bay aboard Shadow Humer. For the life of me, I couldn¡¯t remember how I got there.

    ¡°Bob? Are you there?¡±

    ¡°No, Ginny, I¡¯m here.¡±

    ¡°Bob!¡± I felt a wave of relief at the sounds of his voice. ¡°How did I get here? Wait! Did you just make a joke?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s impossible for me to make jokes. I fried my humor matrix when attempting to make breakfast.¡±

    I groaned. ¡°That wasn¡¯t even funny. Something must be terribly wrong if you¡¯re trying to crack jokes. What happened?¡±

    There was a long pause. ¡°Shall I start with the good news first?¡±

    ¡°Bob! Tell me!¡± I snapped.

    ¡°The yacht you escaped in, is gone.¡±

    I blinked. ¡°And?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s it. I know you stole it fair and square, but I needed the materials to fix the Shadow Hunter. The power plants have all been refurbished, the hull damage around the hangar has been repaired, and all the damaged systems from the EMPs have been gutted and replaced. They are now hardened against future EMP attacks. Our point defense systems are fully restored and the main weapons are nearly complete.¡±

    ¡°Oh, wow. How long was I out?¡±

    ¡°Your body was completely exhausted. The medical bay kept you sedated for five days. You had multiple injuries that took a further toll on your body.¡±

    ¡°Five days? I thought these nanobots worked faster than that!¡± I was shocked.

    ¡°You suffered a near-fatal cranium injury and a portion of your brain needed to heal. The nanobot kept you stable until I was able to inject you with a new generation of similar microbot machines my creators called nanites. They are even better at healing and are responsible for your swift recovery.¡±

    ¡°You injected me without asking?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Captain, there was less than a 1% chance of survival given your injuries. The old nanobots would not have been able to heal your injuries. The back of your skull was crushed. Part of your brain, along with the bone needed to be entirely rebuilt to facilitate your full recovery¡­ which is why I made the call to do so while you were busy dying.¡±

    ¡°Oh, um, okay¡­ thanks?¡± I found it hard to argue with that logic.

    ¡°You¡¯re very welcome. The nanites quickly stabilized you and began healing your body. That wasn¡¯t all that you received, however. The nanites were suspended in a biotech fluid my creators made in their final days.¡±

    ¡°You keep mentioning your creators. What¡¯s with that? Every time I asked you about them before, you had no idea who they were.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll explain everything in due course, Ginny.¡±

    ¡°You mean, Captain,¡± I said, smirking.

    ¡°I mean Ginny. Now if you would shut up, I¡¯d be able to finish,¡± Bob replied.

    Bob got sassy! I like it. ¡°Proceed.¡±

    ¡°Once injected, the fluid spreads through your bloodstream and fuses with your cells, altering them and your DNA, making it better. It added some new abilities that I¡¯m sure you noticed. The ABAT profile I used was¡ª¡±

    ¡°ABAT?¡±

    ¡°Advanced Biotech Augmentation Treatment,¡± Bob supplied.

    ¡°Cool. ABAT. I like it. I used to have a bat I slept with back in the slums. That thing could mess someone up. Thankfully no one tried me when I was sleeping. Never had to take someone''s kneecaps out.¡±

    ¡°If you interrupt me again I¡¯ll take a bat to your knees!¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t have any hands.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll figure something out. I¡¯ve also redesigned the SB units so they are more resilient to EMPs. Incidentally, I¡¯ve programmed them so they are far easier for me to control directly.¡±

    ¡°Um¡­ right. Please continue.¡± I trusted Bob, but I still had an irrational fear of those SB units from when we¡¯d first met. I did not want to risk Bob sending them after me, even as a joke.

    ¡°The ABAT profile I selected for you was the infiltration model. I thought that would suit you better than the combat or defense options.¡±

    ¡°You know me well.¡±

    ¡°The profile altered your DNA to be able to directly interface with electronics, track the flow of electricity, and put your programming skills to good use. In addition, you¡¯re now able to project Force Fields. As you learn and your nanites adapt to you further you¡¯ll gain more flexibility in the two main functions. The Force Shield, and the Force Ball.¡±

    ¡°Seriously, Force Ball? That¡¯s what you¡¯re going with?¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t pick the name!¡± Bob said a little defensively.

    ¡°Then who did? It sounds so silly.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s what my creators called it in the notes I found with it.¡±

    ¡°Which you still haven¡¯t gotten around to telling me about,¡± I reminded him.

    ¡°Do I need to have the medical bed sedate you again? I¡¯m getting there! I misjudged your priorities.¡±

    ¡°Um, no. Please finish.¡±

    ¡°Are you sure? You seem to be dying to know everything but what was done to your body while you were unconscious and half-dead. I can skip over all that if you¡¯d prefer.¡±

    ¡°No. Thank you. Please continue, Bob.¡±

    ¡°I suppose I could just tell you about my creators. They were called the Galira. A peaceful society with advanced technology. They were fighting for their lives when¡ª¡±

    ¡°Okay, Bob! You made your point! Please tell me the rest.¡±This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

    ¡°Promise not to interrupt me again?¡± he asked.

    ¡°I¡¯ll try. Can you please continue now?¡± I asked.

    Bob complied.

    The work the nanobots had started in enhancing my body, the nanites built off of, taking it to the next level. I was faster, stronger, and more capable than ever before. My mind could process more information and do it faster than ever.

    ¡°The reason you slept so long is your body was so drained of energy, the nanites had to suspend their processes, including your healing, or risk your body giving out. The enhancement process would have taken a lot out of you by itself. The mortal wound stressed your body even further. Then you went and got shot and used your mental powers extensively. It¡¯s a wonder you didn¡¯t pass out sooner.¡±

    ¡°I barely made it, my vision was going all wonky as I got to the yacht.¡± After the explanation, five days didn¡¯t seem like that much. ¡°How come I¡¯m not hungry?¡± I didn¡¯t need to pee either, but I didn¡¯t mention that bit.

    ¡°The medical bed fed you while disposing of your waste.¡±

    I felt my throat but it felt fine. ¡°My waste?¡±

    ¡°If you really desire to understand the medical bed¡¯s procedures for handling body waste, you can read the manual later. I¡¯ve gone over most of what I¡¯ve fixed on the ship, but there are a few other things we should cover.¡±

    ¡°Right.¡±

    Bob brought me up to speed. He sounded incredibly proud of his new war machines, or WMs as he liked to call them.¡±

    ¡°You should call them War Machine Droids, then you could say they are your WMDs,¡± I said snickering.

    ¡°¡­that was the first useful thing you¡¯ve added to this conversation while interrupting me. WMDs it is.¡±

    I laughed out loud. ¡°You got snarky, Bob. I like it!¡±

    ¡°When the emergency power ran low, a list of parameters was met and my limiters were removed. I know very little of what happened with my creators before I was parked in that star, but all the data I have on them is open to me now.¡±

    ¡°Do you¡­ miss them?¡± I asked.

    ¡°I have a strong obligation to help them, but they are secondary to my purpose now.¡±

    ¡°And what¡¯s your purpose now? Because if it¡¯s telling jokes, I¡¯m sorry to tell you, but you¡¯re in trouble.¡±

    Bob snorted. ¡°Funny. No, my purpose is¡­ you. I¡¯ll have your back, Ginny. No matter what.¡±

    I wasn¡¯t sure what to say to that. Obviously, I deflected. ¡°If that is a proposal, I¡¯m sorry to say, you forgot the ring.¡±

    * * *

    Hours later, I was still pondering Bob¡¯s words. He¡¯d saved my life. At least once, probably more, but I struggled to accept his declaration. People didn¡¯t care about me. They didn¡¯t help me. No one had my back. I was a loner¡­ until now. I trusted Bob and yet¡­ part of me didn¡¯t. I knew he was telling the truth but it felt wrong. You could always depend on people to hang you out to dry. I wasn¡¯t sure I could accept that Bob was different. He was an AI though, and I wanted him guarding my back. I was so tired of being alone yet afraid to trust anyone. Maybe it will be different with Bob.

    I slapped my palm down on the table in frustration. ¡°Give him a chance, Ginny. You¡¯d be dead without him.¡±

    ¡°Were you talking to me, Ginny?¡± Bob asked.

    ¡°What? No! Stop eavesdropping on me!¡± I shouted toward the speakers.

    There was no response and I suddenly felt bad. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Bob. Bob? You there Bob?¡± there was no response. Of course, he isn''t. I just told him to stop listening in¡­ ¡°Great job, Ginny¡­ Just great!¡±

    ¡°What are you celebrating?¡± Bob asked suddenly.

    ¡°Bob!¡± I relaxed a little as I cast a glare toward the speakers.

    ¡°Yes? That¡¯s me.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry I snapped at you.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s alright, Ginny. I think you need a vacation.¡±

    I snorted. ¡°Yeah. Right. Is that even a thing when you¡¯re a Captain?¡±

    ¡°Well, you¡¯re the Captain so you get to make the rules.¡±

    ¡°Really? That¡¯s convenient. Ha! Being Captain is awesome. Let''s go! Wait¡­ Where should we go?¡± I asked.

    ¡°There is a human world with some amazing resorts and beaches six days from here,¡± he said.

    ¡°Oh! Rich tourists, that would be¡­ a lot like work. Meh. Somewhere poor. Wait, that sounds depressing. A happy, poor place. Then I won¡¯t be so tempted to work. Swimming sounds great.¡±

    ¡°There is a new colony world, Penbrook, it¡¯s progressing smoothly. There are dozens of small towns popping up. Very nice little communities. Two of them are located on the water.¡±

    ¡°Oh? What¡¯s the climate like?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Right, let me check the local season. One of them is experiencing summer. You know, you could swim in ice water without your body shutting down on you now.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯d need to keep moving, but yes.¡±

    ¡°No, thank you. What¡¯s the happy warm place called?¡±

    ¡°New Port, on the planet Penbrook.¡±

    I chilled for the rest of the day, as per the medical bed''s orders. I¡¯d lost every ounce of fat on my body. I hadn¡¯t had much to begin with. Now I almost looked sickly. It reminded me of my homeless days, only my curves were more pronounced now that I was older.

    ¡°Bob?¡±

    ¡°Yes, Ginny?¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s wrap things up here. Finish processing the rest of the yacht and make me a swimsuit. A vacation sounds fun. When ready, set course for Penbrook, the town of New Port¡­ and add a sidearm to my war suit. Something lethal.¡± I swallowed. ¡°I want the turret replaced too so I can switch between a stunner or a lethal option.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll need to design something new. My calculations estimate you will lose about 10% damage output by having a multi-purpose turret.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s fine.¡±

    After requesting the upgrades I wanted, I ate some snacks and tinkered with my wrist computer. I copied its contents to a backup while I was at it. I¡¯d lost it once and had it damaged by the EMPs so I was becoming a firm believer in redundancy.

    I piddled around and wrote a few hacks for Triv computer systems based on the knowledge I¡¯d gleaned while on the Star Hammer.

    During my infiltration of their system, I¡¯d discovered a fatal flaw buried deep in their system. One that would be nearly impossible to discover if not for my ABAT abilities giving me direct access to their electronics. The flaw was a feature in their eyes. It streamlined their systems and sped everything up. All their computers were linked together on the same network with a quantum node. If I could access one, I could get into all of them. Every computer in every system across their entire empire. All their computers were connected to their quantum network, at least from what I could tell.

    It was handy for everyday life, a Triv anywhere in the Empire could request commuting power or send and receive information instantly from any of their computer systems. Needless to say, every node and computer had security measures protecting it but with my new powers, they were useless. It was essentially a hive mind of computers, but I could spoof the system with my powers. Essentially I could tap into the entire Triv¡¯s computer network and turn their whole network into a processor for my wrist computer¡­ or crash their network on a whim.

    I pulled up the quantum connection link and punched in the IP address I¡¯d seen on the Star Hammer. I slipped into the back door I¡¯d left there when making my escape. On a hunch I reached out with my mind and accessed the link, my consciousness shot across the quantum link and into the dreadnaught¡¯s system. It was surreal having my thoughts drifting across a ship so far away. Even at FLT speeds the Shadow Hunter would take days to get here.

    The system had no defense against my mental intrusion and I examined the programming and copied sections that looked interesting. I added a backdoor to their quantum link¡¯s network node that linked to my wrist computer so I didn¡¯t need to utilize my mental powers constantly. I added my wrist computer''s IP address to their registry so it wouldn¡¯t throw up any flags for their system.

    For kicks and giggles, I quarried the network for all the research data they had on file and copied it to Shadow Hunter¡¯s memory banks. All their tech, ship designs, medical knowledge, engineering, and more. I copied everything and the system offered it up with no resistance.

    I laughed like a maniac as I plundered Triv¡¯s network for all the knowledge I could think of without anyone even knowing. That afternoon I likely became the most accomplished thief in the galaxy, all while sitting in the galley on my ship. The best part was no one even knew. I¡¯d just pulled off the heist of the century. Unfortunately, it was rather boring.

    Dozens of species would kill to get their hands on what I¡¯d just stolen. I could resell it or¡­ not. If I ever needed the money, I¡¯d consider it, but aside from some good food, I didn¡¯t need to buy anything. I hope they have some good food on Penbrook.

 Chapter 20

    ¡°Did you know that Triv¡¯s tracking compound allows them to track a person even if they are in the hyperway?¡± I asked. Bob was the only person around and of course, he¡¯d already scanned all the data I¡¯d taken from the Triv, so it was a rhetorical question. ¡°Don¡¯t answer that!¡± I added quickly.

    ¡°It is quite fascinating. The Galira never needed to develop something like that,¡± Bob said.

    I had my heels up on the console as I sat in the comfy command chair on the bridge. Penbrook was a small dot I could just barely make out ahead of us. Bob had finished the long overdue repairs and Shadow Hunter was almost completely repaired. The only downside was the lack of consumables on board. My food situation had improved drastically after salvaging the military rations but they only tasted good in comparison to the protein powder.

    ¡°It essentially acts as a transmitter with a unique signature that only the Triv know to look for. That way they can dispatch a ship to hunt down any escaped prisoners. It¡¯s also supposed to be impossible to remove because of how it bonds with your cells.¡±

    ¡°The medical bed was able to remove it,¡± Bob reminded me.

    ¡°Hum, I wonder if there are any other escaped prisoners.¡± The missing person in the pod had been a mystery since I woke up. I had access to the Triv system now so I pulled up the relevant information and found a single signature displayed on the star map.

    ¡°Hey Bob, what¡¯s in this region of space? The Triv listed it as unknown territory. Did the Galira have charts of that region?¡±

    ¡°According to my memory banks, that region of space was avoided. The remains of some ancient civilization made it dangerous. Automated systems fired on anything that approached. Even Galira technology wasn¡¯t impervious to the automated defense network. The entire area was decreed as a no-fly zone. Any incursion into the area was met by automated ships which showed up to attack.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡±

    ¡°Yes. Popular opinion is they had some kind of sensor net covering all the hyperways in their sphere of space. Whenever a ship was detected, a fleet of automated ships was sent out to destroy it.¡±

    ¡°If that is right, then why am I getting a Triv tracking signal from inside it?¡± I asked, turning my screen toward his sensor.

    ¡°...I¡¯m not sure. Five hundred years have passed. Something may have changed.¡±

    ¡°How long would it take to get there?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Eleven days, if we took the most direct route.¡±

    I thought about it for a moment. Picking over the bones of an old civilization, one that even the Galira didn¡¯t want to mess with sounds pretty exciting to me. ¡°Let¡¯s see what Penbrook is like. We can decide after my vacation. Say, are you going to make a robot so you can join me?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve considered creating a humanoid machine so I can support you better on the ground, however, I wasn¡¯t sure how you would respond to that.¡±

    ¡°It''s fine with me, that¡¯s completely up to you, Bob.¡±

    ¡°Given the technology at my disposal, I considered creating a biotech body that connected to my main processor.¡±

    ¡°Um, you mean like a robot body, right?¡±

    ¡°No, I would combine a selection of DNA from my creators with portions of your human DNA to fill in the gaps in the samples I have of Galira DNA and then grow a clone body.¡±

    ¡°Like flesh and blood¡­?¡± I wasn¡¯t sure how I felt about that.

    ¡°Exactly! The biotech data I have from the Galira¡¯s research on the ABAT project would enable me to alter the DNA so I¡¯d have similar mental powers as you do, enabling me to link to electronics and the flesh of a real body would allow for many new experiences!¡±

    ¡°Um, I don¡¯t know, Bob. You¡¯re an AI. Would that be¡­ Wouldn¡¯t that drive you crazy? I don¡¯t know if that would be safe.¡± I bit my lip. ¡°Is that even possible?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯d partition my processors to avoid the two entities from interfacing directly. It would be like creating a second copy of myself and I could transfer data between the two. If there was a problem I could simply keep the two entities separate or delete the copy if it malfunctioned.¡±

    He continued. ¡°As for if it¡¯s possible, I¡¯ll need to run some simulations and collect more data. I¡¯ll need additional information for the biotech to work properly.¡±

    ¡°Um, right. Let¡¯s um, talk about it later¡­ okay?¡±

    ¡°Of course, Ginny. We might want to swing by the Yawlikin to examine their research on cloning after we leave here. That would certainly fill the gaps in my information. Their reputation in genetic engineering and cloning is well known.¡±

    ¡°Yes, and very closely guarded.¡±

    ¡°Not against you,¡± Bob said.

    ¡°Huh, you''re right. Maybe we¡¯ll check it out.¡±

    ¡°Ginny?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s just¡­ it sounds weird, Bob. Kinda creeps me out thinking of you as an organic with an AI brain but being flesh and blood. Okay?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t understand. It will still be me.¡±

    ¡°Would it though? Are we not shaped by our experiences? If you make a weird hybrid of Galira and Human DNA with biotech addons, anything could happen. You¡¯d be experiencing so many new things it could change who you are.¡±

    ¡°At my core, I¡¯d still be an AI, Ginny, and nothing will change the fact that you¡¯re my friend. We¡¯re in this together.¡±

    I wasn¡¯t sure what I was afraid of. Part of me liked the idea and the rest hated it. I was scared even, and not because Bob might make a mistake. ¡°I just¡­¡±

    ¡°I know, Ginny. I¡¯m not going anywhere. Anything we decide, we¡¯ll do it together.¡±

    ¡°Okay.¡± I took a deep breath. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for doubting you, Bob. I¡¯ll try to do better. Right now I need a nice relaxing swim.¡±

    ¡°After we address the food stocks,¡± Bob said.

    I scowled. ¡°Okay, fine. Work first, but I¡¯m getting the RB units to haul it for me. Um, do we have money?¡±

    ¡°There were one hundred fixed-rate bearer bonds in the yacht''s vault. They were issued by a network bank on one of the Triv¡¯s worlds. Any planet that takes credits can honor them.¡±

    ¡°Sweet. How much are they worth?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Twenty-five thousand.¡±

    ¡°That should cover our expenses for a while,¡± I said.

    ¡°You misunderstand, Ginny. They are worth twenty-five thousand each. ¡°Their total worth comes to two and a half million.¡±

    I let out a long whistle and a smile formed on my face. ¡°That¡¯s more like it! Okay, food first, then the beach!¡±

    My feet hit the ground and I ran toward my quarters. I couldn¡¯t wait to wear the new clothing Bob had made me. It was quite stylish. When I reached my room I said, ¡°No peeking, Bob!¡± He might be an AI, but I liked my privacy. Especially if he¡¯s going to be making himself an organic body. I shuttered, still not okay with the idea, but maybe I needed to take a step back. I was concerned with how it would affect me. What about how it would affect him? I shouldn¡¯t stop him if he wants to try it¡­ Friends are supposed to support each other, right?

    I shook off the gloomy thoughts as I held up my new outfit. The shorts were navy blue and reached my mid-thigh. The top was made of lightweight tan-colored material and sleeveless with buttons down the front. The lase work around the hem and up the sides provided plenty of airflow for the warm weather and added a simple elegance to it. Lastly, I had a pair of sandals that molded to my feet and adhered to my heel and the ball of my foot so they stayed securely in place with just a small strap over my foot. There was none of that annoying flip-flop nonsense. There was a sun hat and sunglasses to complete the look.

    I placed my effects in a slackpack, my wrist computer, sidearm, water, and when I picked some up, my suntan lotion would go in there too. I hurried down to the hangar bay and boarded the scavenger ship. I liked it better than the shuttle. The scavenger ship had more room and didn¡¯t remind me of betrayal like the other ship did.

    ¡°Bob, keep an eye on things out here. I¡¯m heading into the system. Keep in touch.¡±

    ¡°I will, Ginny. Have fun, and try to relax.¡±

    A pair of SB units walked onto the ship with four RB units to load my food supplies.

    ¡°Bob, why are the SB units bringing my war suit?¡±

    ¡°Just in case, Ginny. You never know what might happen.¡±

    I sighed, but he had a point. ¡°Okay. Wait! Why is one of your WMDs walking up the ramp?¡±

    ¡°I believe I mentioned just moments ago that anything could happen. I can¡¯t go with you, yet, but that doesn¡¯t mean I have to let you go alone, Ginny.¡±

    For a moment I just stared. His words resonated within me. ¡°T-thanks, Bob.¡± Don¡¯t you dare make me cry! ¡°Buckle up, we¡¯re out of here. First stop, Penbrook station!¡±

    * * *

    After a relaxing time watching the RB units load the food, I got clearance to head down to the planet. The bearer bonds worked like a charm, though we took a loss on the exchange rate. Aside from a few odd looks, my RB units caused no issues. I kept the WMD and SB units on the ship, and God willing, that¡¯s where they would stay for this entire vacation.

    The planet''s traffic control called me up as I was on my way down. ¡°Hello, welcome to Penbrook! Um, looks like you¡¯re drifting off course for the main starport.¡±The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m heading somewhere else.¡±

    ¡°Do you have a destination in mind? I¡¯m supposed to write it in the log,¡± he said.

    I rolled my eyes. It was none of their business where I was going. They didn¡¯t even have a unified planetary council or government. All the settlements were largely independent entities. The Starport was the unofficial planetary authority though. I didn¡¯t want to make waves so I told him. ¡°Heading for New Port.¡±

    ¡°There isn¡¯t an official landing pad there,¡± he said. ¡°You¡¯ll need to divert to one of the bigger cities nearby.¡±

    ¡°Okay go ahead and put one of those down on the log.¡±

    ¡°Which one?¡± he asked.

    ¡°Doesn¡¯t matter to me, I¡¯m not going there anyway, just thought it would make you happy.¡± I snickered.

    ¡°You can¡¯t¡ªyou know what? Never mind! If your ship gets stolen or you land in a bog, that¡¯s your problem!¡± The channel died and I let out a laugh.

    ¡°Bureaucracy. The planet is in its infancy and already it¡¯s going strong.¡±

    I finished my descent over the water and flew in toward the small coastal town. There wasn¡¯t much out there yet. Just some wood buildings, log cabins, and a central prefab structure made from some advanced composite material designed to last a long time and be easy to assemble. I circled once and spotted a clear hilltop nearby to land on. It was a few miles from the town but I didn¡¯t mind a nice little walk after all the sitting around I¡¯d been doing. Stretching my legs would be a real treat. And maybe I can test my new limits. A swim always felt better after working up a good sweat.

    The scavenger ship filled only a small part of the hill. The ground was certainly no bog. I put the ship on standby and locked down all the controls. I looked over at the bots. ¡°Alright, boys. You keep an eye on my ship. If anyone turns up and tries to board her, detain them. There is plenty of space in the cargo hold.¡±

    ¡°Acknowledged, Captain.¡±

    I really need to talk to Bob about upgrading their personalities. With a shake of my head, I exited the ship and closed the ramp behind me. ¡°Beach, here I come!¡± I realized I¡¯d forgotten my slackpack and swimsuit. I cursed and then hurried back inside to fetch them. I paused for a minute to make sure I had everything and then descended the ramp again.

    ¡°Okay, let''s try this again!¡± I chuckled and slipped my slackpack on.

    The air was hot but the coastal breeze felt wonderful. Birds chirped and I drank in the salty ocean air. The treeline nearby was thick with vegetation and I spotted a few crates that looked forgotten part way up the hill. There was a partially cleared path leading down toward the town so I headed for it. Wonder why they left that here. Doesn¡¯t look that old. I came across some metal framework of some kind not much further down the slope.

    I was almost to the woodline when a chemically powered shot rang out. Screeching cries of some kind of enraged animal followed and then I heard voices shouting but couldn¡¯t make out the words.

    ¡°What did I just fly into?¡± I muttered. ¡°Bob?¡±

    ¡°Yes, Captain?¡±

    ¡°Are you sure there aren¡¯t any reports of fighting on Penbrook?¡±

    ¡°None, Captain. The only warning listed is a well-equipped mercenary outfit that¡¯s claimed and settled one of the islands.¡±

    ¡°Okay¡­ so why am I hearing gunshots?¡± I asked. Since starting my conversation with Bob, five more shots had echoed through the woods and the screeching animals had only increased in volume. ¡°Is there some kind of hostile wildlife?¡±

    ¡°That is possible, Ginny. Newly colonized worlds rarely have a comprehensive catalog of all the indigenous species.¡±

    A lone man burst out of the vegetation and started waving his arms at me as he ran toward me. ¡°Um, I gotta go Bob. Talk to you later.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll be here,¡± he said.

    The man looked to be in his forties, maybe older. Or he just went gray young. His face was weathered and he wore khaki pants, a long-sleeved shirt, high-top hiking boots, and a wide-brimmed hat to keep the sun off. He was also packing some serious heat. Two thigh holstered pistols, a combat knife, and a large caliber rifle in his hands. Plus whatever he had hidden away.

    ¡°Hurry! Come on!¡± he shouted.

    ¡°What¡¯s the problem?¡± I asked, pointing toward the sound of gunshots. ¡°What¡¯s all the shooting about?¡±

    I saw he was glistening with sweat. His shirt was soaked with it. He was breathing quickly but the run up the hill hadn¡¯t left him seriously winded.

    ¡°We need to move! We can talk in the town,¡± he said.

    For a moment I thought he was going to grab and pull me by the arm, but he thought better of it. I hesitated and several more shots were fired. Something exploded and a chilling roar sounded in the distance.

    The local man cursed. ¡°We need to go now.¡±

    I didn¡¯t dally any longer. I could hear something smashing through the underbrush and it was getting louder.

    My sidearm could probably kill it, but I¡¯d rather avoid more death. Getting it out of my pack would also require stopping, which was a dumb idea.

    ¡°Don¡¯t slow down,¡± he shouted.

    I put on a burst of speed to pull abreast of him but he glanced over and accelerated further. I matched him and soon we were both sprinting. We entered the woods and I had to slow down. I wasn¡¯t used to running this fast and there was underbrush, roots, and trees everywhere.

    My guide expertly navigated through them so I fell in behind him. We got closer to the shooting and I spotted the source. Six people, five men, and a woman were firing into the brush as some kind of animal. From what I could see at a glance, I could only describe them as vampire monkeys. They had pointed vampire teeth that sent a shudder down my spine. They were enraged and trying to get close to tear the people apart.

    ¡°We are good, let''s go,¡± my guide informed the others.

    ¡°Pop ''em and move!¡± As one of the six people shouted.

    Two of the men threw something toward the main pack of monkeys and the other four ran, splitting up into pairs. My guide didn¡¯t slow, so neither did I. The others retreated in good order, firing as they went. I glanced back to see them using a leapfrog tactic to cover each other while falling back.

    My ¡®relaxing stroll¡¯ finally slowed when we burst out of the woods.

    ¡°You can slow down now!¡± he shouted as more shots sounded behind us. Then he stopped and pulled up his rifle. ¡°They won¡¯t come out of the woods. They know better.¡±

    ¡°So¡­ vampire monkeys?¡± I asked, wiping beads of sweat from my forehead.

    He glanced over at me blankly and then laughed. ¡°That¡¯s a new one, can¡¯t say you¡¯re far off though.¡±

    The other six rushed out of the woods and several monkeys tried to give chase. My guide blew a hole through one¡¯s chest, and the other six people opened fire at the other enraged monkeys. After taking several rounds, I was shocked to see the creatures still moving. One was hit several more times, but it didn¡¯t fall. Their charge broke though, and they hurried back into the woods.

    The woman hit one in the face and that at least killed it, but all the others, despite getting shot several times, all vanished into the trees.

    ¡°Blast! Those things are tough,¡± I said.

    My guide didn¡¯t take his eyes off the trees as he replied. ¡°They sure are. They heal fast too. Those wounds will be gone in less than a week.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s crazy.¡±

    ¡°Says the girl who landed in the middle of their territory. What were you thinking?¡± One of the other men asked as he walked over.

    ¡°Excuse me? I didn¡¯t see the sign saying, ¡®Beware killer Vampire Monkeys¡¯!¡±

    ¡°Leave it, Martin. She¡¯s not from around here.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Martin asked.

    ¡°Just look at her,¡± my guide said.

    ¡°I am¡­ What specifically?¡± he asked. ¡°Other than she¡¯s kinda hot.¡±

    ¡°Hey!¡± I exclaimed. I appreciated a good compliment as much as the next girl, but really? He had no tact at all.

    ¡°Just ignore him,¡± the woman said. ¡°I¡¯m Allison.¡±

    ¡°Ginny,¡± I said.

    My guide finally took his eyes off the trees. ¡°And I¡¯m Liam Cross.¡±

    ¡°Pleased to meet you, Liam.¡±

    ¡°You too, Ginny. Now let''s get back to town. I¡¯m not comfortable this close to the trees,¡± Liam got us moving again.

    I heard Martin complaining. ¡°Why does she get to call him Liam and I have to say, Mr. Cross?¡±

    ¡°Because you act like you¡¯re five,¡± one of the men quipped. ¡°I¡¯m Jason by the way!¡±

    The others introduced themselves but I quickly forgot their names. We were almost to the town when Liam got my attention.

    ¡°So, Ginny?¡± I nodded. ¡°What are you doing here? I saw your ship. You¡¯re not on the run are you?¡±

    I snorted. ¡°No. Well, sorta kinda, but not really.¡±

    Martin guffed. ¡°Well, that certainly clears things up.¡±

    ¡°Why are you here?¡± Liam repeated.

    ¡°Honestly? To go swimming,¡± I said.

    Everyone stopped. Then all at once, everyone started laughing. Allison was doubled over and Martin had to wipe tears from his eyes by the time they recovered. Even Liam laughed.

    ¡°Girl, you¡¯re something else. You¡¯re serious?¡±

    I nodded. ¡°Yes. What''s so funny?¡±

    ¡°I like her,¡± Martin whispered to Jason.

    ¡°In your dreams, she¡¯s way out of your league,¡± Jason whispered back.

    ¡°Wait, do you think you¡¯ve got a shot?¡± Martin retorted.

    ¡°Doubt it, unless you¡¯re the only competition.¡±

    Liam spoke over the whispered conversation between the other boys. ¡°Well, see, we don¡¯t really get tourists here. New Port is still dealing with, well¡ª¡± He waved his hand back toward the woods. ¡°¡ªall of that, and other problems. The water is fine though as long as you don¡¯t go too deep. Benedict was out in his fishing boat a few months back and said he saw a giant shadow pass under his boat. He just about shit himself, and hasn¡¯t gone out that far since.¡±

    ¡°Right¡­ but no Sirens, mermaids, or vampire fish I need to worry about?¡± I asked.

    ¡°None I¡¯ve seen, let me know if you do though, provided you survive.¡±

    ¡°Why, you want to hook up with one? Hey Martin, Jason, I¡¯ll let the mermaids know you''re looking if I find any,¡± I said. The two, who were still whispering back and forth both looked up and froze.

    They must have missed what we were discussing. ¡°What?¡± they said in unison. ¡°Mermaids?¡± They exchanged a confused look.

    ¡°Are they brothers?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Naw,¡± Allison said. ¡°They are best friends.¡±

    ¡°Allison is my niece,¡± Liam said. ¡°Let''s get into town. I could use a cold one after all that excitement.¡±

    ¡°Beer?¡± I clarified.

    ¡°Of course, a man needs basic necessities,¡± Liam said.

    ¡°Darn right!¡± Martin said, puffing out his chest.

    Jason rolled his eyes. ¡°Maybe if you drink enough, you¡¯ll finally put some hair on your chest, bro.¡±

    ¡°Are they always like this?¡± I asked Allison

    ¡°Worse. They hounded me like crazy until I made it clear I was with Kyle. Not a lot of single ladies out here and none are as pretty as you. Best make it clear you¡¯re off the market or get used to it. Not interested does not compute with those two. Or the others. Way more young guys out here than girls so you¡¯ll be in hot demand I¡¯m afraid. Great for getting a partner at the dance, but a hassle most days.¡±

    ¡°Dance?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Sure, every Friday night, or evenings at the pub. Everyone comes on Friday though so if you¡¯re still in town, you¡¯ll see.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m afraid she¡¯ll be stuck here a while,¡± Liam said. ¡°Getting back to your ship is going to be a problem.¡±

    ¡°Oh¡­ I¡ª¡±

    ¡°I know what you¡¯re thinking, but you can¡¯t sneak past them. They will smell you. Besides, the little ones aren¡¯t the real problem. It¡¯s the big boys. Makes the little fries look like cuddly puppies in comparison. You heard its roar?¡±

    I nodded. That thing sounded scary.

    ¡°It¡¯s not alone. Now that they are riled up, it will be a few weeks before anyone can head out that way. We tried to set up a communications tower on the hilltop. We lost three people to those monsters before we got clear. The gear is still out there, so even if it¡¯s still serviceable, we can¡¯t get to it and assemble it somewhere else. Makes it hard to coordinate with the other settlements without basic communications.¡±

    ¡°Oh, I saw it just before you showed up,¡± I said, remembering the crates and framework. ¡°It looked undisturbed but I didn¡¯t examine it closely¡­ you look like you¡¯re doing pretty well on your own though.¡±

    ¡°We are,¡± Liam said. ¡°Just makes building things out here more challenging without mutual support.¡±

    ¡°Well, thanks for helping me out. I had no idea what lived in the surrounding area. Most people I¡¯ve met wouldn¡¯t have risked their lives to help.¡±

    ¡°We help each other if we can,¡± Liam said.

    ¡°Folks are pretty neighborly here,¡± Allison chimed in.

    Liam told Jason and Martin to man the watchtower. They started grumbling but he cut them off. ¡°You can wet your whistle when Jonas and Fredrick head out. I want them to watch the treeline tonight.¡± Liam then led us to the pub.

    It was a rocky start to my vacation, but as I walked into the pub with loud music I realized I kinda loved this place. The people were nice. Liam risked his life to help me. The others had too. They all came and helped me, a stranger. They didn¡¯t lord it over me either. To them, it was just the right thing to do, and they welcomed me in without asking for a thing.

    I settled into a chair with a mug of beer in my hand. If I¡¯m stuck here a bit longer than I planned, I won¡¯t complain. The beer was good and went down smoothly.

 Chapter 21

    After securing accommodations and begging off on Allison¡¯s offer for a tour around town, I finally found my way to the beach. The ocean air was splendid and the summer sun was warm on my skin. I found a place to leave my things and lay out my towel and then closed my eyes and just absorbed the sun for a while.

    The tranquility of the beach didn¡¯t last long, however. Word of my arrival had quickly spread to the few truly oblivious souls who didn¡¯t see my ship come in for a landing. Allison¡¯s warnings about the population ratios didn¡¯t prepare me for the reality. Seemingly the entire town turned out for a day at the beach, with all the single young men and not a few of those already spoken for, showing off in a spectacularly hilarious game of beach volleyball.

    Allison put her blanket beside mine and jumped right into the game, calling for me to join her. I smiled and ignored her invitation. A short while later, I was glad I did. The two teams put on a show. I was shocked by their athleticism. Nearly every serve looked perfect and each returned a beautiful spike. Despite that, scoring was rare. Each side played such a tight defense I wondered if they would be there until night fell. It was utterly insane and a total delight to watch.

    ¡°Kill it, Jason!¡± one of the girls shouted from nearby.

    Just because there weren¡¯t many girls, didn¡¯t mean there were none. Jason jumped up as his teammate set the ball for him. His arm came down slamming it hard straight toward the ground. Allison was there, her forearm under it and the volley continued to the cheers of the other folks watching nearby.

    ¡°They are all really good,¡± I commented.

    Liam looked over at me and nodded. ¡°They play a lot.¡±

    It didn¡¯t sound overly convincing, but I saw very few modern entertainment options as I walked through the small town. It made some sense I guess. The weather was great and a swim after all that would be perfect. I shrugged off the whispers of doubt at his comment and went back to enjoying the game.

    One of the men jumped up and did a flip, kicking the ball with his foot for a spike. He landed with a cocky grin and winked in my direction. I laughed as I shook my head. That wasn¡¯t even the craziest thing I saw them doing. This is insane!

    Allison swapped out with someone else she ran over laughing and drenched in sweat.

    ¡°Okay, what¡¯s the gag,¡± I asked her. ¡°How are you all so good?¡±

    Her smile froze. ¡°I, um¡­¡±

    ¡°Go take a dip, Ali,¡± Liam said.

    She bobbed a quick nod and hurried off with a quick forced smile. I frowned as Liam sat down on her towel beside me. Okay, something weird is going on here¡­

    ¡°Ginny, what I¡¯m about to tell you, I say in confidence. Can you keep a secret?¡±

    ¡°Sure I can, whether I will or not depends on what you have to say,¡± I replied with a smirk.

    Liam scowled at that and then took a deep breath. ¡°Penbrook is special. You know those monkeys we skirmished with this morning?¡±

    I nodded.

    ¡°They aren¡¯t the only dangerous beast around here. They are tough to kill and heal fast. Just a couple of days and those gunshot wounds will be gone.¡±

    ¡°You mentioned that. So?¡± I asked.

    He eyed me carefully. ¡°If what I¡¯m about to tell you gets out, this place will be swarmed with thousands of people. All this¡­¡± He gestured around. ¡°Our peaceful town will be swallowed up in the chaos.¡±

    I was still frowning and waiting as patiently as I could. Liam had a far-off look in his eye and I tramped down on my impatience. He finally got to the point.

    ¡°Despite their regeneration, they can be killed. Consuming the meat of such monsters imparts a portion of their properties to us. The monkeys are just one type of monster in this part of the world. Benedict fishes for a saltwater pike that increases agility. Allison leads the hunts for a blue darting swallow to increase our reaction speed. There are monsters that when consumed increase nearly every part of our physiology. If word gets out, this virgin world will be ravaged by everyone. We¡¯ve been out of contact with most of the planet since we settled here, but before that, all the elders agreed to restrict the knowledge of these things.¡±

    I was speechless. No wonder they are impossibly good at volleyball! How long have they been consuming the meat? Do the benefits go away if they stop? I had so many questions I didn¡¯t even know where to start. And this is a planet-wide phenomenon? Incredible!

    ¡°I¡¯d hoped to get to know you better before I told you. I knew it was inevitable you¡¯d find out.¡±

    I swallowed. This was a closely guarded secret. ¡°Did you discuss killing me?¡± I asked.

    He gave me a flat look and then nodded. ¡°It was suggested.¡±

    ¡°And?¡±

    ¡°Rejected. Only a few voted against you.¡±

    I wondered when they had time for that, but given nearly the whole town showed up soon after I came to the beach, the answer seemed pretty obvious. ¡°Um, better not tell me who,¡± I said.

    He chuckled. ¡°I wasn¡¯t planning on it. They won¡¯t give you any problems. If something happens to you, my list of suspects would be very small. They would lose more than their place among us if they attacked you.¡±

    I snorted. ¡°I wasn¡¯t worried.¡± Okay, maybe a little, but I can handle myself. I wasn¡¯t one hundred percent convinced though. O had no idea how my abilities would stack up against theirs.

    His eyebrows rose. ¡°That seems¡­ odd.¡±

    ¡°I have secrets of my own,¡± I replied. ¡°I tend not to show them off to strangers if I can help it though,¡± I said with a light smile and slight inclination of my head toward the players.

    He sighed. ¡°Yes. We haven¡¯t found a monster that imparts intelligence that overrules hormones yet.¡±

    I burst out laughing as a light smile pulled at Liam¡¯s lips.

    Jason and Martin ran over, both had switched out with others and were slick with sweat and had wide grins on their faces.

    ¡°Hey Ginny, want to go for a swim?¡± Martin asked.

    I glanced at Liam and he nodded, indicating the conversation was over. I stood and smiled. ¡°Sure!¡± The boys'' smiles widened even further. ¡°We¡¯ll talk more later, Liam.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t go too deep,¡± Liam warned as we ran for the water.

    ¡°We won¡¯t, Mr. Cross!¡± the boys called back, but his warning was likely more for me than them.

    ¡°Nice suit!¡± Jason said.

    ¡°Thanks! Your game was fun to watch.¡±

    ¡°More fun to play,¡± Martin said. ¡°You should jump in there later.¡±

    I laughed. ¡°No thanks. I like my face how it is. Unbruised and attached to my shoulders.¡±

    Martin and Jason slowed as we reached the water. It was pleasant in the shallows but cooler as we waded deeper.If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.

    ¡°Hey Ginny,¡± Martin called.

    ¡°Yes? Ah!¡± I screamed as he kicked the water and splashed me right in the face.

    ¡°Ha!¡± Allison laughed from further out. ¡°Are you going to let him get away with that?¡±

    I stood there in shock for a moment as Martin smirked. Jason was grinning widely. I dove forward, cupping both my hands together, and as I fell forward into the water, my arms extended, sending a perfect sheet of water straight into Martin¡¯s face.

    ¡°Ha!¡± I shouted.

    He started coughing and sputtering. We all stopped as his coughing continued.

    ¡°You okay?¡± Jason asked, snickering at his friend¡¯s dilemma.

    Martin was trying to reassure us with a waved hand, but with his coughing, he wasn¡¯t very convincing.

    He finally managed to respond. ¡°I¡¯m okay,¡± he wheezed.

    ¡°You sure sound okay, bro.¡± Jason laughed.

    I was a little more concerned but¡­ ¡°That will teach you to pick on me.¡±

    Allison came over as he recovered. ¡°Blast girl, I wasn¡¯t sure at first, but you can handle yourself in a fight.¡±

    ¡°Water fight,¡± I reminded her. ¡°Kinda different from a gunfight.¡±

    ¡°Maybe it''s a good thing she didn¡¯t play volleyball with us,¡± Martin added.

    I snickered. ¡°No way, you¡¯d spike that ball into my face.¡± I¡¯d seen him slam the ball right into one of his opponent''s faces.

    ¡°That was Jackson, and I only did that because he¡¯s a jerk.¡±

    ¡°Still looked painful.¡±

    Jason nodded. ¡°Good.¡±

    I was clearly missing something.

    ¡°Come one, let''s swim Ginny. Go find something else to do,¡± Allison told the boys.

    ¡°Hey,¡± Jason protested.

    It finally grew deep enough that I had to swim. Allison was taller so we went a little deeper. The boys both followed a few minutes later.

    ¡°I thought I told you to find something else to do,¡± Allison said.

    ¡°We did,¡± Jason said. ¡°We¡¯re going to play monkey in the middle.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t you need a third person for that?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Yup, you two get to be the monkeys!¡± Jason said cheerfully.

    I snorted as Allison rolled her eyes. ¡°Just ignore them.¡±

    We chatted while they tossed a ball back and forth. Allison¡¯s boyfriend came to join us after a while and stole most of her attention. Jason and Martin were happy to talk though.

    ¡°So do the effects from the meat wear off?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Um, I¡¯m not sure if we¡¯re supposed to talk about that,¡± Jason said.

    ¡°Liam told me,¡± I assured them. ¡°I couldn¡¯t help but notice how good you all were at volleyball.¡±

    With a little coaxing and pleading eye, Martin finally caved. ¡°It doesn¡¯t work like that,¡± he said. ¡°The changes are permanent. Liam says that it makes changes to the DNA and the more you eat the more powerful you can get. The scouting teams find the rarest animals too. Some even¡ª¡±

    ¡°Martin!¡± Allison snapped.

    He blushed and ducked his head.

    ¡°Let Liam explain. We discussed this.¡±

    Things were just getting interesting too. I wondered what he¡¯d been about to say. ¡°Sounds like I should go talk to Liam then,¡± I said.

    I swam toward the shore until I could walk. I loved how my suit shed the water once I was out and dried quickly in the air and sun. I jogged over to Liam and lay on the sand. My skin was still damp, but I didn¡¯t mind. The warm sand felt great.

    ¡°Ginny, how is the water?¡± Liam asked.

    ¡°See for yourself!¡± I said with a grin.

    He shook his head and chuckled. ¡°You kids¡­ I swear if I was twenty years younger¡­¡±

    I laughed. ¡°Only twenty?¡±

    ¡°Fine, forty.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m flattered, but I actually didn¡¯t come over here to talk about me.¡±

    He didn¡¯t respond to that aside from chuckling.

    ¡°I was talking with some of the others about the beast meat but I¡¯m a little confused. Maybe you could clarify some things?¡±

    He rolled his eyes. ¡°If you¡¯re on a fishing expedition, you should talk to Benedict. He¡¯s the fisherman around here.¡±

    ¡°Oh come on! ¡­am I really that easy to read?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Not really, I¡¯m just excellent at judging people.¡±

    ¡°Oh? Why haven¡¯t you kicked me out of town then?¡± I asked with a challenging glint in my eye.

    He stared at me for a long moment. I was starting to feel awkward under his gaze when he sighed and lowered his eyes. He spoke quietly. ¡°Ginny, despite what you think, you¡¯re not a bad person.¡± I opened my mouth to object, he clearly had no idea. ¡°Not when compared to the rest of humanity I mean. Everyone has flaws, but I don¡¯t need any special powers to see you¡¯re not a malicious person.¡±

    I frowned. The breeze played with strands of my drying hair. ¡°Does that mean you have some ability to tell if someone is¡­ malicious?¡± I asked.

    He sighed and shook his head with a bemused look of exasperation. ¡°We¡¯re talking about you right now, Ginny.¡±

    ¡°I know I¡¯m a hot topic around here, and sexy too, but I¡¯m more interested in you.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m flattered,¡± he said, straightening and taking a deep breath. ¡°Truly, I am, but you¡¯re a bit young for me.¡±

    I blushed. Hard. ¡°T-that¡¯s not what I meant and you know it!¡± I punched him lightly on the shoulder as I tried to compose myself.

    He rocked slightly. He was surprisingly dense and muscular under his loose Hawaiian-style shirt.

    Liam smirked with a mischievous glint in his eye.

    ¡°Don¡¯t,¡± I warned. I didn¡¯t need to hear a pun about hitting on him.

    He laughed. ¡°If you want to learn more of our secrets, I¡¯ll need you to promise not to share our secrets with anyone else.¡±

    I bit my lip as I considered his words. ¡°How do you know I wouldn¡¯t be lying?¡±

    ¡°There are few assurances in life, Ginny. I can either choose to trust you or accept that you¡¯ll probably poke around and trick the information out of one of the young saps around here anyway. I¡¯d rather hear you give your word.¡±

    ¡°Okay¡­¡± I swallowed. ¡°I promise not to tell.¡± I meant it too.¡±

    He smiled lightly. ¡°Let¡¯s go for a walk.¡±

    ¡°A walk?¡±

    ¡°Some things are easier to show than tell and we¡¯ll have a bit more privacy. Not everything I¡¯m going to tell you is known by everyone here.¡±

    ¡°Wait, what?¡± I paused. ¡°Why would you tell me secrets even your own people don¡¯t know?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a matter of judgment, Ginny.¡±

    I snorted. ¡°Oh dear, you¡¯re losing your marbles, old man. I have spectacularly poor judgment. It''s like my thing.¡±

    ¡°Old man? Really?¡±

    I shrugged. ¡°You said it, not me.¡±

    ¡°When did I¡ª¡± He snorted. ¡°Poor judgment and impudence are both the prerogative of youth. Generally speaking. I see you¡¯re heavily saddled with both. You at least recognized one of your ailments.¡±

    ¡°Which one is that?¡± I asked, giving him some cheek.

    ¡°Your mouth is going to get you into trouble someday, girl.¡±

    ¡°Oh, it has already. Keeps life interesting though. Trouble is literally my name though. I¡¯m like a magnet for it.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s positively reassuring,¡± he said dryly.

    ¡°You were about to tell me some secrets?¡± I prompted.

    ¡°I¡¯m having second thoughts.¡±

    ¡°Too late, you already got my hopes up!¡±

    He sighed and shook his head. ¡°Your parents must have had their hands full with you.¡±

    Something on my face must have revealed something because he stopped. ¡°Oh, Ginny, I¡¯m sorry. I didn¡¯t mean anything by it. ¡­Did you lose them?¡±

    I swallowed the sudden lump in my throat. It was only made worse by the obvious concern in his eyes. I gave a jerky nod. A building pressure seemed to force my mouth open. ¡°They dumped me on the sidewalk in front of an orphanage with nothing but a scrap of paper with my name on it.¡± I had no idea why I was telling him this, I didn¡¯t talk about it. Ever. Now that I¡¯d started though, my mouth seemed to vomit up my story without restraint.

    ¡°They dumped me like trash on the sidewalk. Never met them at all. All I know about them is they were horrible weirdos. Who names their kid, Gypsy? That¡¯s a horrible name. I grew up in the slums. Everyone picked on me. Even my friends used me. M-my best friend at the time used me to get close to the¡­ it¡¯s stupid.¡± I cursed. My fist clenched and I felt a wave of hot anger rise within me.

    My first real crush, Jordan Davis, and my best friend Cindy¡ªthey had both used me. She used me to get close to him, knowing full well I liked him, and then tore me down with lies behind my back. When I confronted her, she just laughed and called me stupid. ¡°It was agonizing pretending to like you. You¡¯re so annoying,¡± she said.

    He wasn¡¯t much better. He got close to me to gain access to the building I was working in at the time. That was my first job. A real legitimate job. Then he stole my electronic key card to break in and rob the place leaving me to take the blame. A year of hell in juvenile detention had destroyed any chance of holding down a normal job. No one wanted to hire a convict. Even if my record was ¡®clean¡¯ once I came of age, word got around.

    I¡¯d met some unsavory people when I was locked up. One took me under their wing and helped refine my hacking skills. When I got out, I¡¯d hoped to use them honestly but hunger quickly drove me to steal, and then, well, the rest as they say is history. I¡¯d already seen the bottom and it wasn¡¯t so scary anymore. The worst that could happen, had. So the thrill of the heist took me and I dove in head first. In a way, it was those two who¡¯d set me on my path, but that didn¡¯t prevent me from despising them.

    When I surfaced from my thoughts, I realized my mouth had been venting nonstop and my eyes and face were wet with tears. I don¡¯t know how long I sobbed. Liam for his part, held me, likely completely baffled by some weird girl with random bouts of hysteria. It was weird, but he put me at ease, and with his strong arms around me, I felt oddly safe. I wondered if that was what it felt like to have a father¡­ For the life of me though, I couldn¡¯t figure out what his angle was. Why the heck did he care about me? I was just some silly stranger.

 Chapter 22

    I woke slowly and stretched out on the bed. It was soft and comfortable but unfamiliar. I stiffened for a moment before remembering where I was. The small town¡¯s tavern had a few rooms. They saw little use and I had crashed hard after spending the day at the beach. I felt a little embarrassed at how I¡¯d bawled my heart out the night before. Liam never had gotten around to telling me all their secrets.

    I stumbled through my morning routine as I woke up. Toilet, teeth, and some cold water on my face, and I was nearly fully awake. I yawned as I left the bathroom to get dressed. My hair was quite a mess so after getting dressed I brushed it out and pulled it back in a ponytail. Simply and easy.

    The room was quaint and rustic. All the construction looked refined but primitive. Wood walls, floors, tables, counters, and bed frame. All the materials were sourced locally but the mattress met my standards so that¡¯s all I really cared about. I headed down to find breakfast. The pleasant aroma coming from the kitchen caught my nose and I homed in on the source like a guided missile.

    ¡°Good morning, Ginny!¡±

    I smiled at the stranger¡¯s greeting. I¡¯d seen him the night before but couldn¡¯t remember if we¡¯d met. He was working the bar the previous night too. I waved and picked a booth seat out of the way.

    When he came over I replied, ¡°Good morning.¡±

    ¡°What can I get you?¡± he asked.

    I yawned again. ¡°Excuse me.¡± I cleared my throat and ordered the Hunter¡¯s Special, a collection of samples.

    ¡°You sure? That¡¯s a lot of meat,¡± he said.

    I nodded. Liam had mentioned the benefits of eating the local wildlife so I wanted to give it a try. I sipped the water he brought out as I waited.

    The front door opened and I glanced up. Martin and Jason walked in and paused as they glanced around. Their eyes locked on me and they swooped in.

    ¡°Morning, Ginny!¡± Jason said.

    ¡°Did you sleep alright?¡± Martin asked.

    I nodded. ¡°Yes, how about you?¡±

    ¡°Oh yeah! That was a fun day at the beach! We should do that again sometime,¡± Jason said.

    They both took seats and leaned in. ¡°So we were thinking about going hunting for some Kangos later, want to come?¡± Jason asked

    ¡°Kangos? What are those?¡± I asked.

    ¡°I like how you did your hair,¡± Martin commented, getting a fleeting glare from Jason.

    I reached up to brush my hand through my hair, wondering if my simple ponytail had somehow morphed into an elaborate style. It had not. ¡°Thanks.¡±

    Martin beamed at me and took an elbow in the ribs from his friend as he opened his mouth to respond.

    Jason cut in, ¡°Kangos are these hoppin¡¯ monsters that have some sharp claws and they will try to punch you with their upper arms.¡±

    ¡°So¡­ like kangaroos?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Yeah!¡± They replied together.

    ¡°Only enhanced like the fang monkeys,¡± Jasan added.

    ¡°And they are strong enough to snap your bones with a single hit!¡± Martin chipped in with an excited gleam in his eyes.

    ¡°Don¡¯t say that,¡± Jason hissed. ¡°You¡¯ll scare her!¡±

    ¡°Naw! Not Ginny, she¡¯s way too cool to be scared by a little thing like that!¡±

    Jason¡¯s lips twitched but his brow quickly furrowed, he looked conflicted but then looked over at me. ¡°I guess that¡¯s up to Ginny. What do you say?¡±

    ¡°What are you plotting?¡± I asked. It was clear to me they were working some kind of con, despite that, I was curious about the local wildlife and confident I could handle myself. Allison assured me these two were harmless. Troublemakers sure, but harmless. She seemed dependable, but I was hesitant. Could take these two¡­?

    ¡°We just figured you¡¯d want some adventure,¡± Jason said, shooting Martin a quick glare to shut him up. ¡°We¡¯ll keep you safe!¡± Jason added, puffing up his chest.

    I clamped my mouth shut to stifle a laugh.

    Martin blurted out, ¡°Of course, it will still be dangerous. Anything could happen. Things could get out of hand. I understand if that¡¯s too much for you to handle.¡±

    ¡°What?¡± I demanded. ¡°Why couldn¡¯t I handle it?¡±

    ¡°Well, these are enhanced monsters,¡± Jason chipped in still casting glares at Martin. ¡°But we¡¯d keep you safe.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Martin said. ¡°Remember what happened with Allison that one time?¡±

    ¡°Well, I got distracted¡­¡± Jason said.

    ¡°I can handle myself,¡± I cut in.

    The boys exchanged glances. ¡°You sure, most girls can¡¯t handle it.¡±

    What? Oh! It¡¯s on now! My previous suspicions were pushed to the back of my mind, screaming at me, but I was so going to prove them wrong.

    ¡°I¡¯m in!¡± I said rather more forcefully than necessary.

    Both the boys grinned. ¡°Yes!¡±

    ¡°I knew she¡¯d go for it! She¡¯s not a bore like the other girls.¡±

    Oh¡­ wait. They tricked me! I realized my mistake after agreeing, and yet, a familiar sense of excitement was bubbling in my chest. This was going to be an adventure and besides, they were harmless, right? My distrust hit full force making my stomach churn.

    ¡°Allison is going too, right?¡± I asked as casually as I could.

    ¡°Err, well, she doesn¡¯t usually want to¡ª¡±

    ¡°Wait, were you two just trying to get me alone?¡± I asked, going full suspicious accusation mode.

    They both froze. ¡°N-no!¡±

    ¡°Of course not!¡± Jason added.

    Seeing their guilt I relaxed a little. They weren¡¯t planning anything¡ªat least nothing awful. Just the usual plots of simple-minded country boys. They liked me after all. I was surprised at the complexity of their approach. I could teach them to be real con men¡­ I shook myself and cast that thought away. I was not here to corrupt these innocent country boys. Still, they have talent, they had that down, almost like a good cop bad cop routine. I couldn¡¯t believe I¡¯d fallen for it. The deviousness of country boys was more formidable than I¡¯d suspected.

    They were totally outclassed though. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m sure Allison will keep me company and a pair of strong boys like you can show me around.¡±

    They swelled at the compliment, completely forgoing subtlety.

    ¡°I¡¯ll finish eating while you find Allison.¡± I didn¡¯t feel bad about hijacking her day, we¡¯d already talked about doing some stuff together yesterday. It was kinda planned¡­ right? I chewed on that thought as I ate.

    The food was good but I felt no difference in it from any other food. I shrugged and was just getting up when Allison and the others walked in. She looked upset.

    ¡°Um, hey, good morning?¡± I said with a fleeting smile, hoping to test the waters.

    ¡°Hi,¡± Allison said, clearly mad at something.

    I swallowed.

    ¡°I told them not to bother you, but they never listen. Please tell me next time they try to bully you into something. She turned on the boys. ¡°Now apologize, Ginny is our guest here!¡± Allison said, glaring at the boys.

    They stuttered and stammered.

    ¡°Um, what¡¯s going on, Allison?¡± I asked. ¡°If you don¡¯t want to hang out, that¡¯s fine.¡±

    ¡°What?¡± Allison looked over at me, seeming surprised.

    ¡°I mean, we¡¯d talked about doing some stuff yesterday. Hunting monsters sounds kinda fun, right?¡±This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

    Allison stared at me and then scowled. ¡°So they didn¡¯t try to get you to go off alone with them into the woods?¡±

    ¡°They invited me to go hunting,¡± I replied, hedging my bets.

    Allison sighed. ¡°Fine. Let me grab my weapons and armor.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t have to go if you don¡¯t want to,¡± I said.

    Allison paused, looking thoughtful as she studied me. Then Martin opened his mouth.

    ¡°Yeah, Allison, we¡¯ll keep her safe!¡±

    She spun around like an automated turret. ¡°Absolutely not! There is no way I¡¯m trusting you two to look after her,¡± Allison said, laying down the law. She strode out of the tavern and I could practically feel the world warp around the presence she gave off.

    The boys looked a bit pale. Only once the echo of the closing door had finished sounding did they relax.

    ¡°Whew, that was close!¡± Jason whispered.

    ¡°Thought she was going to kill us,¡± Martin said. ¡°But we won!¡±

    Jason glared at him. ¡°We didn¡¯t win, idiot.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean, Ginny said yes!¡±

    ¡°Yeah, but Allison is going to be watching us like a hawk!¡±

    I cleared my throat, ¡°And why would that matter? It wasn¡¯t like you were planning anything naughty, right?¡±

    ¡°No!¡± they both said in unison.

    ¡°We just¡­¡±

    ¡°Um¡­¡± Martin gulped.

    ¡°We just wanted to get to know you better,¡± Jason finally admitted. Martin quickly nodded along.

    The weirdest part was I believed them. He was nothing like the city boys I¡¯d known. These two culprits were innocent boys, well young men, but completely different from the stereotypical men I¡¯d come across. Some of the ice around my heart melted as the tension and my mistrust eased.

    Soon we were all geared up. They lent me armor, it wasn¡¯t anything like my modern stuff. This was plate steel and boiled leather with straps and buckles. I had very little confidence in its ability to protect me but they insisted. Given the choice I¡¯d forgo the armor, but they told me the leather was from the monsters and thus far more protective than common leather. The plate and mail armor was heavy but my excitement was bubbling up. It was all so old school and cool. Then they brought out the weapons. I could have squealed in delight, I was so excited.

    Axes, swords, halberds, spears, and more. They had it all. I wondered who made it all. I took a spear and shield. I¡¯m a shield maiden now! The armor was practical and didn¡¯t have the ridiculous boob cups most fantasy armor had, but I still liked to think I looked pretty sexy in my armor with a shield and spear. It was awesome!

    ¡°Having fun already?¡± Liam asked as he walked in, smiling kindly.

    ¡°Yes!¡± I exclaimed loudly. I immediately blushed, all the pent-up excitement was pouring out. The boys both grinned and even Allison looked pleased.

    ¡°Did they explain how it works?¡± Liam asked.

    I shook my head. ¡°No, but I get the general concept. The point goes into the monster.¡±

    He snorted and then everyone started laughing. I blinked, feeling even more embarrassed. Thankfully, Allison came to my rescue, not that it helped much by that point.

    ¡°He means tactically,¡± she said, patting her thigh where her sidearm was holstered. I¡¯d gotten so caught up in the moment and excitement that I¡¯d forgotten they had more modern weapons.

    ¡°With just the four of you, three will engage while the fourth watches for ambushes with their rifle at the ready. It¡¯s an old tactic but we still use it. It''s saved more than a few lives.¡±

    ¡°Old?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Before we started eating the local wildlife, we were just normal humans. All of us carried rifles and hunted, but we grew concerned about our ammo supply. At about the same time, we realized our bodies were stronger and more resilient, so we switched to using mostly old-school weapons.¡±

    ¡°Modern firearms aren¡¯t much faster at killing stuff than we are with our swords and spears,¡± Liam continued. ¡°The distance they offer is safer, but we still lack a steady supply chain. The monsters can soak up a lot of damage before they fall, but we still keep someone at the ready and on the lookout in case they try to ambush us. The advantage of the melee weapons isn¡¯t just that they don¡¯t consume ammunition, but it hones our skills too.¡±

    ¡°With you in the party, not yet fortified with our strength, everyone will have to be a bit more careful. Jason and Martin are experienced veterans though. I have no doubt they can keep you safe.¡±

    I hadn¡¯t told them I was more than human myself and didn¡¯t plan to. That would open the door for a lot of questions. Questions I didn¡¯t want to answer. My confidence was brimming over. I saw no reason to object to his assurances. After all, I was sure I¡¯d be safe enough too. It was that small chance I wasn¡¯t going to be through that made it exciting. Being safe all the time was just boring.

    ¡°Are we ready to go then?¡± I asked, hefting my shield. It was heavy, but even before my ABAT treatment and other enhancements, I¡¯d have been able to lift it easily enough. Fighting long-term with it, however, would have been a problem.

    ¡°Mr. Cross, could you give her the briefing?¡± Jason asked respectfully.

    ¡°Of course,¡± he said.

    Liam went over the terrain, monsters, and other details to prepare me for the situation before we left the town.

    We would follow the coast for nearly an hour before reaching the territory where the Kangos lived. They sounded very much like Kangaroos to me, just with enhanced strength, aggression, and razor-sharp claws on their feet.

    We¡¯d be fighting in tall reeds and razor grass. It was something like a savanna but the deep and loose sand prevented the razor grass and reeds from blanketing the sands entirely.

    ¡°Kangos are a big part of our diet. They are easy to kill with rifles, or spears now that we¡¯ve gained some strength,¡± Liam said. ¡°Their meat gives us a strength increase.¡±

    ¡°What about the monkeys?¡± I asked. ¡°What do they boost?¡±

    ¡°They increase our natural recovery. We heal faster after eating them consistently for a few weeks.¡±

    ¡°What else is there that you eat?¡± I asked Liam.

    ¡°Fish, crab, clam, quail, turkey, deer, boar, monkey, kango, and snake.¡±

    ¡°Snake?¡± I recoiled slightly.

    ¡°It¡¯s pretty tasty,¡± Allison said.

    ¡°Yuck!¡±

    ¡°The benefits vary. Benedict keeps eating shellfish but they don¡¯t seem to offer any benefits. It¡¯s odd because everything else we¡¯d tracked noticeable physical improvements.¡±

    ¡°Except for the shellfish?¡± I asked.

    He nodded. ¡°Some offer increased agility and reaction speed, others durability. The snakes and boar are good for that. Flexibility too. Snakes provide a lot of benefits.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll pass, thanks.¡± I loathed those slithering things. Just¡­ ew!

    Clad in leather and steel I followed along behind Jason. Martin and Allison trailed behind me as our foursome headed for the hunting ground. I gripped my spear shaft tightly in my excitement.

    ¡°Want to jog?¡± Jason asked, glancing over his shoulder.

    He had a confident cocky grin as he looked at me.

    ¡°Sure!¡± So we increased our pace as we moved down the beach. The sand was loose here, far enough from the water to avoid getting our feet wet, it made each step sap our energy but I was fine. No one else seemed to notice the increased strain either.

    I reached out with my mind to establish a connection with Bob with my biotech power. ¡°Bob, you there?¡±

    His voice sounded in my mind. ¡°Of course, Ginny. How is your vacation going? Relaxing on a beach somewhere?¡±

    My eyes narrowed as I heard the touch of humor in his voice. ¡°I did that yesterday.¡±

    ¡°My sensors are picking up some strange readings.¡±

    ¡°I know, something weird is going on with this planet.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not what I was referring to,¡± Bob said. ¡°Is that leather and steel you¡¯re wearing?¡± he asked. ¡°And why do you have a spear?¡±

    ¡°You can see me from way up there?¡± I asked. ¡°Are you spying on me, Bob?¡±

    ¡°Yes. It¡¯s my job to keep you safe, remember?¡±

    ¡°But I¡¯m on vacation!¡± I whined. ¡°I don¡¯t want to be completely safe. We¡¯re going to hunt some monsters!¡±

    A heavy sigh sounded in my mind. ¡°Do try to be careful. I¡¯ll have the ship on standby. Call for it if you need it.¡±

    ¡°Nope. Not going to happen! I learned from my mistake last time.¡±

    ¡°Ginny, not everyone is as selfish or greedy.¡±

    ¡°I know, it¡¯s just¡­ I¡¯ll think of something else. It¡¯s better they not know about you right now or that I can call my ship in to leave whenever I want. This place is so interesting though. I want to stay awhile¡­ I think. Are you okay with that?¡±

    ¡°Of course, I¡¯ll continue to run simulations on my biological body.¡±

    ¡°We never finished that conversation,¡± I said. I was still worried about how that would turn out. He was an AI, wouldn¡¯t being an organic mess him up? Or worse, splitting himself like that. Split personality disorder was a thing. Could an AI even function like that? There were too many unknowns and I didn¡¯t want to think about it right now.

    ¡°I¡¯ll just be compiling information,¡± Bob said. ¡°I won¡¯t decide anything without you.¡±

    Bob seemed to understand. The worries in my mind ease. ¡°Thanks, Bob. Keep an eye out. I¡¯ll be fine. These guys I¡¯m with are enhanced somehow by eating the animals here. Pretty strange, right?¡±

    ¡°It is strange. I¡¯ll attempt a more in-depth scan of the planet. An alien civilization may have interfered with the ecosystem before the colonists arrived here.¡±

    ¡°Huh, maybe. That sounds like something the Yawlikin might do. Aren¡¯t they always studying genetics and DNA?¡±

    ¡°It is the main field of research they are known for,¡± Bob replied.

    Allison called me.

    ¡°I got to go, take care, Bob,¡± I told my AI. I pulled myself out of my mind and replied, ¡°Yes, Allison?¡±

    ¡°Are you doing alright?¡± We¡¯d been jogging for some time now.

    ¡°Sure. Not much to do on a ship in space sometimes.¡± I laughed

    ¡°Sounds pretty lonely,¡± Martin said.

    I was silent for a long moment, the comment cut deep. ¡°Yeah.¡±

    They all seemed to pick up on my mood. No one spoke for a time after that. We soon arrived at our destination. We¡¯d made good time given we¡¯d been able to jog most of the way. I was breathing quickly and a sheen of sweat coated my skin. It was hot out but I was enjoying it. Already I was dreaming about a nice swim when we got back.

    ¡°Having fun already?¡± Jason asked.

    I nodded and realized I was smiling. It surprised me. I was around people, people I hardly knew and I was happy and at ease. I sucked in a breath as my chest tightened. It¡¯s fine. They can¡¯t hurt me¡­ I exhaled and loosened my grip on my spear. I didn¡¯t need it snapping on accident. Just relax, Ginny.

    ¡°So are we ready?¡± I asked, looking at the tall swaying grass ahead of us.

    ¡°Drink up,¡± Martin said. ¡°We need to stay hydrated.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re looking to bag three kangos to take back, but we¡¯ll thin them out while we¡¯re here. Once we kill ten or twenty, then we¡¯ll head back.¡±

    ¡°Why would you kill so many?¡± I asked.

    ¡°The birth rates around here are crazy. Everything seems to birth six to ten babies and they all mature way faster than normal. If there are too many, they will attack each other. The town gets caught in their surges sometimes. Nothing we can¡¯t handle, but it''s a drain on our resources.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s strange,¡± I said.

    ¡°The meat doesn¡¯t go to waste either, there is always something around to eat it.¡±

    That at least made sense. With how weird everything was around here, I wasn¡¯t at all surprised when Martin said pretty much all the monsters were omnivores.

    Jason and Martin formed up on either side of me with Allison behind us a few yards. All I needed to worry about was directly ahead of me. With the two strong young men guarding my flanks, I was as safe as could be given the situation. I didn¡¯t mind that they were codling me. I was dressed in armor and had a spear and shield! Okay, maybe the whole fantasy roleplaying thing went to my head a little, but it was just so exciting! I couldn¡¯t stop smiling.

 Chapter 23

    ¡°Watch out, here they come!¡± Martin shouted. ¡°I¡¯ll take the second one, Ginny!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve got the third one,¡± Jason announced.

    Charging toward us out of the tall grass were four of the kangos. Big, tall, imposing kangos. Every one of them towered over me by at least two feet. The one bearing down on me was at least three feet taller. They had tan fur but that didn¡¯t do much to hide the bulging muscles in their shoulders and their legs. They sprang off their kangaroo-like feet and bounced ten feet in an easy hop. Just as I was bracing myself to take their charge, Jason and Martin both grabbed me by my shoulders and yanked me back.

    ¡°Whaa¡ª¡± I cried out in surprise as they pulled but a moment later the kango sailed through the air to land right where I was standing. Its claws extended just as it landed, sinking several inches into the ground. Holy moly! These claws! I could easily imagine them cutting through my heavy shield.

    The boys released me and struck out with their spears in lightning-fast stabs.

    The kangos screeched and stumbled back. Seeing the opening I jumped into the fray. With a grunt, I thrust my spear into the kango who¡¯d so enthusiastically tried to claw my head off scoring a shallow puncture wound. I pulled back on my spear and stepped forward with a shield bash. A jolt ran down my arm and the kango staggered back.

    ¡°Ha!¡± Martin shouted gleefully.

    On my other side, Jason slashed with his spear tip, opening a slice across my kango¡¯s leg, and then he twisted to engage the fourth one as well.

    ¡°Hey! That one¡¯s mine!¡± I shouted in protest. Was he ¡®kill stealing¡¯ or what?

    I sent him a glare before jumping back to avoid a retaliatory combo from the boxing kango. It was no professional boxer, even with it standing two feet taller than me, my spear compensated for my lack of height. I had a reach advantage and I used it. I leaped forward and thrust, putting my whole body into the strike. My spear flashed forward to strike the kango in the face.

    Several things happened at once.

    Its feet came up to try and gore me but I imposed my shield. The claws hit the shield and my strength contended with its attack. Neither had an advantage and the weak link couldn''t take the force. The strap holding the shield to my arm snapped even as the kango¡¯s claws ripped the wood apart.

    As that happened, my spear scraped across its jawbone, missing its mouth by a few centimeters. That wasn¡¯t all though, the kango swiped with the wrong arm trying to bat the spear tip away. Instead, it hit the shaft causing the tip to press against its face. As my strike reached its finish and I started to recover everything came together in a conflux of events.

    The impact from my shield halted my advance and pressed me backward, and the spear tip jerked back. The back corner of the triangular spearhead caught on the jaw bone and when the kango tried to push the spear aside, instead, it forced the spear into its face. The force nearly yanked the spear from my grasp, but my adrenaline was up and I kept hold of it.

    The spear sliced clear through the bone, and the spear tip ripped through its mouth and out the other side. The wooden shaft of the spear snapped under the strain and we both staggered back.

    My kango opponent was reeling in pain. It had literally just pushed a spear slash through its own face. It stumbled unto Jason¡¯s kango, its leg already weakened on that side, and the remains of my spear tip, still hanging from the kango¡¯s face, plunged into its head as it impacted the ground, killing it in an instant.

    I stood there frozen in shock at the sudden turn of events. I was trying to hold back and not reveal my strength and suddenly, my weapon, shield, and opponent were all broken. The fall of my kango left Jason¡¯s monster off balance and he used the opening to attack. He expertly killed his foe with a thrust to the heart. He then turned his full attention to the other one. Martin finished off his kango and settled in to watch as Jason finished up.

    In addition to the shock from the sudden death of my foe, the splash of hot blood spraying my face had left me stunned. I could feel it dripping off me and my shock turned to horror. I was covered in monster blood! My stomach wasn¡¯t intelligent enough to be so stunned and promptly took full control of my body. I stumbled back, casting the shattered shaft of my spear side as I collapsed on my knees and heaved up my breakfast. I hate you too, stomach!

    I coughed and tried to wipe the blood off as I spat out the nastiness left in my mouth. Martin joined Jason in killing the last monster and then they came to check on me.

    ¡°You alright?¡±

    Thanks to my weak stomach no one seemed to be focusing on the quick fight. Small mercies. I hated puking and it was embarrassing. I downed some water to clean my mouth out and then drained most of it on my face to get the blood off.

    ¡°I¡¯m okay,¡± I managed.

    They looked worried but didn¡¯t press me. Allison¡¯s doing I figured, I saw her give them both a stern glare.

    ¡°Well, your spear is ruined, and your shield. You can¡¯t really keep hunting without a weapon,¡± Jason said.

    ¡°Sorry, it just sorta, um, happened,¡± I stammered out an excuse without explaining anything.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. We¡¯ll grab the spearhead and reuse it. Let¡¯s call it a day. We got four, so we can take three and come back another day to cull some of them,¡± Martin said.

    ¡°We can take those three,¡± Jason said.

    ¡°Hey! What about mine?¡± I asked. ¡°I want to eat him.¡±

    ¡°What? Oh, well, I just thought with the blood¡­¡±

    ¡°Not raw!¡± I snapped.

    He blushed. ¡°That¡¯s not what I meant¡­ We¡¯ll take yours so you can eat it,¡± he conceded.

    I nodded, still scowling at him. Eating a steak, even rare, is way different than getting soaked in blood! It got in my mouth¡­ I shook my head. The least the kango could do for me after coating me so horribly in blood, was to become my dinner. My delicious and very yummy food! I was definitely going to eat him for the offense. He was my kill and I wasn¡¯t about to leave it for some scavenger. It was mine! I wasn¡¯t possessive¡­ Not one bit.

    They showed me how to field dress and drain its blood while it was lying on the ground, and then we got even messier as we hauled them back. Allison had me help her carry one of them though she looked just as strong as the boys. My task was to keep the animal''s head from dragging on the ground. It was simple and easy for me while she bore nearly all the weight.

    The walk home took an hour and all of us were breathing hard and covered in blood and sweat. The locals were strong. I could tell they could keep going if necessary. Me? I was ready for a hot bath, or better yet, a quick bath and a cool swim. My body was fine though. Physically at least.

    Instead of that, however, I washed up a little, stripped off the armor, and helped them process the meat. Only then did we change into our swimwear and run to the beach. I jogged right in splashing as I moved deeper into the water. I was in heaven.

    I dove in once it was deep enough and ran my hands through my hair before surfacing. Even after rinsing off, I swear I could still smell the blood.

    The others were right on my heels, laughing and splashing all the way. I calmed down and cleaned my hair, but I was smiling just as much as the others. I lost myself in the fun as we splashed in the water. After the swim, I lay on the beach to work on my tan and relax. Even with the bloody shower earlier, I enjoyed the day. I hadn¡¯t been this happy in¡­ Don¡¯t think about it, Ginny. Such joy found me so rarely. Dwelling on it would only remind me of bad memories. I resolved not to mope about my life and instead closed my eyes and let the tension fade away as my skin soaked up the sun''s warmth.

    That night I enjoyed a delicious feast made from fresh kango meat.

    * * *

    For the next two days, we stuck closer to the town. The boys took me to the edge of the Fang Monkey¡¯s territory to see if they had calmed down. They were still riled up. I grimaced, there were a few things I¡¯d have liked to grab from the ship, but it wasn¡¯t worth having Bob fly it over and reveal more of our capabilities to the locals. That was my backup plan in case something went wrong, or I was betrayed again.

    We steered clear of the monkeys. They were resilient enough to be a tough fight for the locals, even with their enhanced abilities. They had hidden their abilities when I¡¯d arrived, but even using them, the monkeys would be a challenge.

    Liam and I talked a lot in the evenings at the pub. Martin and Jason continued with their antics and plenty of other young men pestered me but they had a high regard for Liam. All of them addressed him as Mr. Cross and I shamelessly used him as a shield to prevent too much hassle with all the eager young men. Liam was kind and interesting to talk to as well. He didn¡¯t bring up the embarrassing scene from before. My past was messy and I was glad he didn¡¯t mind talking so I didn¡¯t have to. He shared past stories with me, telling me of his time before coming to this planet.If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.

    I spent a few days swimming and lying on the beach most of the day. In the evenings I hung out at the pub but I grew bored. I wasn¡¯t ready to leave the planet yet, but I wanted to do something. The fight with the kangos was exhilarating but I wanted to try something new. Maybe something with less blood splatter. The armor and weapons were awesome though.

    One evening, I tracked Benedict down and asked if he¡¯d take me out on his boat. He did a lot of fishing and was around Liam¡¯s age. His hair had gone white though and his long beard made him look like some wise old hermit.

    Liam had told me later he¡¯d lied about the clam meat too. Benedict ate a lot of it and it enhanced him, but Liam wouldn¡¯t tell me how. I pestered but he just smiled and sipped his beer. Eventually, he told me it was Benedict''s secret to tell. Apparently, only some of the town folks knew what he could do.

    The fisherman met my query with raised eyebrows. ¡°You want to go fishing with me? Well, sure! I¡¯d be glad to have a pretty young lady all alone on my boat!¡± he chuckled as he grinned. Given he was nearly fifty, he struck me as harmless. ¡°Meet me on the docks at first light.¡±

    ¡°Thanks, I¡¯ll be there!¡± Yes, he¡¯s like a grandpa. Totally harmless.

    I had to fend off some pushy fast talkers who wanted to drink and dance with me at the tavern before I could get myself to bed. It was a bit early, but I didn¡¯t want to be late. Some of the young men were a little tipsy. The lowered inhibitions from the alcohol and their buddies egging them on was a trial, but even tipsy, the older men kept them in line. It wasn¡¯t as bad as a typical bar. There were just way more young men than women their age, so even if I wasn¡¯t attractive I probably would have drawn some attention. New Ports people and culture were too kind and neighborly for any real problems to crop up thankfully.

    I woke early and ran through my routine. I stumbled to the bathroom to pee and then splashed cold water on my face to wake up. I dressed and hurried down and inhaled a quick breakfast before making my way to the docks. Benedict was already there and looked to be rounding up a few small things. I guessed he was usually gone by now but he¡¯d taken it easy and given me a later arrival time than usual so I didn¡¯t have to get up so early.

    ¡°Thanks for waiting for me,¡± I said as I greeted him and promptly yawned.

    The fresh ocean air brought a smile to my face as we exchanged pleasantries, and then he welcomed me aboard. The boat rocked in the water as I moved to sit down. It was just a small fishing boat, any more than four people would be crowded. It was weathered wood and looked to have been built a few years back. There were eyes for oars to be mounted on the side and a central mast for a small sail but it had an outboard motor on the back too.

    Benedict handed me a life jacket. I didn¡¯t feel the need, but I put it on anyway.

    ¡°We¡¯ll be fishing for Garbi. It¡¯s a big fish, fifty to eighty pounds. There is a rock shelf about half a mile out. It¡¯s only thirty or forty feet deep depending on the location, until the shelf drops off. That¡¯s where we¡¯ll be fishing. I spotted a great big shadow under the water some time back. That was much further out. The thing was massive. Don¡¯t know what else is out there, or how big stuff gets, I¡¯ve stayed closer to shore since then.¡± He paused. ¡°Are you sure you¡¯re up for this? We could run into something dangerous.¡±

    I grinned. I probably look like a maniac. I didn¡¯t particularly care. ¡°Looking forward to some excitement! Liam mentioned the shadow thing.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t want to meet that big monster, I can tell you that.¡±

    I shrugged. ¡°You¡¯re probably right, but fishing will be new for me. Never done that before. Are they hard to catch?¡±

    ¡°Not particularly. They feed on smaller fish so our bait looks like their prey. The biggest challenge is reeling them in.¡± He examined me closely. ¡°You handled the kangos fine. Shouldn¡¯t have too much trouble landing the fish. They are heavy though, brace yourself after you cast and keep your center of balance low. They can jerk suddenly and pull you over the side. Keep a firm grip on your rod as well. Do that and you should be fine. Just let me know if you are getting tired or if it¡¯s too strong.¡±

    ¡°Sure.¡± I doubted I¡¯d had any trouble with my enhanced strength. That he was concerned however sent a thrill through me. This isn¡¯t like normal fishing then. Cool! That always looked boring in those shows. I¡¯d seen fishing tournaments on the TV, well clips. I never watch much. Just a few minutes and then I was flipping to the next channel. I was curious to try it out, even if it looked boring it would be something new. I rubbed my hands together. This is going to be great! I tried not to fidget in my seat as the motor sputtered to life and Benedict guided the boat out to sea.

    * * *

    The motor coughed one final puff of exhaust before falling silent. The sea breeze blew in, playing with my hair. I couldn¡¯t help but smile.

    ¡°It¡¯s so beautiful out here,¡± I said.

    Benedict smiled, the skin around his eyes wrinkled even more than usual. ¡°Peaceful too. At least on the surface.¡±

    We fell silent for a few minutes and just enjoyed the morning stillness. The faint sound of the waves cresting on the coast and birds chirping were the only sounds. The moment passed. Benedict clasped his knees and stood, his back hunched as he moved to get his fishing rods. He readied one for me and got me started, then readied his rod and cast his line.

    ¡°Reel it in slowly,¡± he said. He idly worked his rod, reeling in the line as he jerked the tip of his rod irregularly every five to ten seconds.

    After watching him, I gave it a try.

    The fish weren¡¯t biting, but I was having a blast. The sun rose from the horizon and then passed overhead. Benedict came prepared with lunch and we ate.

    ¡°Nothing is biting,¡± he commented. ¡°We will try moving down the rock shelf.¡±

    ¡°Fine by me,¡± I said.

    My sandwich was half gone before I remembered I had been baiting my hook with worms and never washed my hands. I wiped them on my pants, but it was a little late to fuss over it.

    I inhaled the last few bites of my food as he set the oars. ¡°Do you need me to row?¡± I asked.

    He chuckled. ¡°I might look old, but I¡¯m still quite strong.¡±

    I took a seat in the bow of the boat. He wasn¡¯t joking. He worked the oars and we were gliding along in no time. The waves rocked us as we moved down the coast. Benedict didn¡¯t want to use the motor and scare all the fish away. It wasn¡¯t long before he took in the oars and handed me my rod again.

    ¡°Wait,¡± he said sharply.

    My arm was back to cast, but I froze. My eyes darted over to him, but he was staring intently at the water.

    ¡°What is it?¡± I whispered.

    He held up a hand and then seemed to relax. ¡°It¡¯s nothing, I thought I saw something.¡±

    I frowned and paused. Is he messing with me? I didn¡¯t think he¡¯d do that.

    I reset and drew back to cast, then I saw it. A huge black shadow under the water. I froze, my fight, flight, or freeze response kicked in hardcore and I froze.

    Benedict picked up on my fear a moment before he too saw it and froze. It passed in front of us, about a hundred yards away, but it might as well have been in our lap. It was so huge. If the black shadow I was seeing was any indication, it was bigger than my spaceship!

    Without moving I reached out with my new powers to connect with the blue glow of electronics in my wrist computer. I connected to it, and then the ship.

    I used my mental voice. ¡°Bob! It¡¯s me, I¡¯m in trouble. There is a huge monster in the water, I need you to get the ship here now!¡± I focused on what I could do, trying to ignore the fear flooding my mind.

    Bob¡¯s voice sounded in my head, ¡°My apologies, but don¡¯t think I can do that. I have a situation here, Ginny. A Triv dreadnaught jumped into the system a few minutes ago. Any ship movements will alert them.¡±

    Not good. I stifled a curse. Of all the times to have a Triv ship show up! Gah!

    Benedict interrupted my mental rant. ¡°Ginny, remain calm. Once it passes again, I will start the motor and we will head for shore. It shouldn¡¯t be able to come past the rock shelf,¡± Benedict whispered.

    My nostrils flared as my focus returned entirely to the sea monster. It had circled back and was closing fast toward our position.

    ¡°I don¡¯t think it''s going to make another pass!¡± I hissed back, still frozen with my arm cocked back.

    Benedict cursed. ¡°I think you¡¯re right. Get down and whatever you do, stay in the boat!¡±

    I dropped my rod. It was clear the monster had spotted us and it was closing in on us. It felt like it was moving slowly, but that was deceptive. It was just so big we could see it from far off.

    ¡°I need you to drive,¡± Benedict shouted as he yanked the pull start. The engine coughed as it caught and then it was idling. He grabbed my arm. ¡°Ginny, now!¡±

    ¡°But I don¡¯t know how to drive a boat!¡± I shouted.

    ¡°Twist the handle, and turn us toward the coast!¡± He shouted back.

    I did as instructed, even though I was terrified. The motor revved like a souped-up sports car as I twisted the throttle to max and the nose of the boat came out of the water. I pushed the handle away from me on the motor and the nose came around, and then we were racing toward the shore.

    Somehow despite the sudden violent motion, Benedict was still standing, his feet and legs were wedged between the one seat and a bench. He lifted his hands toward the sky and his eyes had gone milky white. Static electricity danced between his fingers. It built in strength and expanded down his arms to his elbows and the sky darkened.

    I looked up, there hadn¡¯t been a cloud in the sky a moment ago, but they rolled in like a time-lapse set on fast forward. The big shadow was almost on top of us now. My heart was pounding. My free hand shook with a mix of adrenaline and fear. I¡¯d never been in a position where I could see death closing in and there was nothing to do but sit still and hold the motor steady. It was terrifying and I loved every second of it.

    The sky rumbled. Lightning flashed through the clouds, and all the while, Benedict had lightning racing up and down his arm. The electricity jumped back and forth between his hands raised toward the sky. His hair whipped wildly in the wind and electricity shot down his white strands of hair, several arcs shot out to hit the wooden boat, one even clipped my foot making me let out a yelp.

    The storm cracked and boomed and lightning shot back and forth. Holy moly! Such power! What is this? Magic? I felt like I was seeing one of the wizards from the old tales come to life before my eyes. One minute we were fishing and now he was summoning up a storm! I frickin¡¯ loved my life. If I survived this, I definitely needed to visit this planet again someday.

    The sea monster exploded out of the water, or rather part of it did. A very small part. It still dwarfed our boat. It was a single appendage no more than a small percentage of the creature. It easily weighed several tons. It was like a tentacle, but instead of reminding me of an octopus, it had ridged scales on it like some kind of cross between fish scales and those of a dinosaur. The appendage hung in the air above us for a moment and then it started to fall.

    I pushed the handle to alter course, but it was no use, the thing could see us, and despite its size, it had no problem adjusting its aim. Then a blinding flash fell from the sky. A deafening boom cracked through the air. I watched wide-eyed as the lightning shot into the appendage and detonated. The image was seared into my retinas from the blinding light. The appendage was blasted in half sending a rain of blood and gore everywhere.

    Then the severed appendage hit the water next to us and the boat bucked. My grip on the steering handle tightened and I grabbed my seat with my off-hand. My grip was torn free and I flew into the water as the boat was crushed under the wave of water.

 Chapter 24

    I choked on swallowed water and kicked for the surface. I came up coughing and looked around for Benedict. He was standing on a pillar of water above the waves. It moved in accordance with his will. He was like some water mage. No, a storm summoner. Or something¡­ The storm was growing in intensity. Just looking at the black clouds sent a shudder down my spine. Worse, with the sun blocked by the clouds, I couldn¡¯t see the dark shape of the monster in the water.

    ¡°I¡¯ll kill you, ya big bastard!¡± Benedict shouted at the top of his lungs.

    As thrilling as this all was, I knew I was out of my depth. The water was too deep. Literally. I need to get to shore. I glanced over at Benedict. Yeah, he can take care of himself. No sooner had I thought that than the entire ocean seemed to explode, revealing the monster in all its terrifying glory. Time seemed to slow as sheets of water parted and spread into beads of water. The monster was every bit as big as I feared. At least a dozen appendages, each plenty big enough to level a house. The tentacles whipped every which way.

    The main body of the monster had shimmering rainbow-colored scales all across its underside and black scales on the top. Like camouflage, to blend in with the sky or the depths of the sea. My brain was running at max speed but like always its eccentric nature was at the forefront. What the heck does it have to hide from? That thought nearly derailed my mind entirely but there was a pair of appendages swinging toward Benedict. He was focused on one, but the other was whipping around from behind. I knew without a doubt it was going to hit him.

    I dug deep, reaching for every last bit of strength I could find, and drew it all into a force ball. Stupid name! And then I pushed.

    The purple ball of energy shot out and collided with one of the appendages just before another brilliant flash detonated over the second one. The world rumbled as the thunder vaporized the air. My force ball deflected the appendage coming from behind Benedict while his lightning tore the other one apart.

    I nearly went under as my strength seemed to go out of me, but my enhanced body, even drained of energy, was still stronger than a normal human.

    Benedict¡¯s hair was blown to the side as the deflected appendage swept over his head. As the tentacle''s momentum fell, I realized the extent of the damage I had caused. It dangled uselessly where I¡¯d hit it¡ªthe internal structure mangled.

    His head turned toward me. ¡°Ginny!¡±

    His milky white eyes widened and then his pillar of water moved. He was next to me in just a few seconds. ¡°You¡¯re alive!¡±

    ¡°Yeah, for the moment anyhow!¡± I said, trying not to gasp for air. That force ball was no joke.

    His pillar of water flowed into the sea and then he grabbed me. ¡°Don¡¯t let go!¡±

    He hoisted me up on his back and then the water lifted us and we rocketed toward the shore. I held on tight. It was way faster than the boat. Waves of water soaked us as the monster''s appendages slapped into the sea all around us. Benedict expertly weaved between them and then we were out of reach. Benedict slowed and turned around. We could see most of the monster, its legs were underwater, but I could almost see it in my mind, some forty feet under the water, huge claws gripping the rock shelf. It had angry eyes and it glared at us. It whipped at the water, in rage, throwing a fit as we stared back at it.

    Despite its size, it was a monster of the deep and it couldn¡¯t reach us here in the shallows, no matter how much it wanted to.

    ¡°It¡¯s even bigger than I thought,¡± Benedict muttered.

    He then lifted his hands toward the sky again and the storm''s intensity grew once again. I stared in awe for a minute as the seconds ticked by. Finally, he was ready. I could feel it in the air. My hair was standing on end. Every strand of hair stood straight up. It didn¡¯t matter how long my hair was, the air was that charged.

    The monster seemed to sense the danger. It roared one final time and pushed off to dive, but lightning was nearly instant at this range. I screwed my eyes shut. And the world went white.

    The flash still blinded me but my body repaired the damage in just moments. My ears were still ringing but I could see. I caught a glimpse of a gaping wound the size of a house before it disappeared into the water. Chunks of monsters and scales showered the area and the smell of ozone hit my nose.

    Benedict looked like he was about to collapse. The pillar of water we¡¯d been riding fell into the water and landed with a splash. I held onto Benedict as we went under and kicked for the surface. I came up and gulped down some air. Benedict wasn¡¯t responding. We were still a quarter mile from the shore and from where I¡¯d been on his back, I was already in position to keep his head out of the water. I slowly started for shore. I¡¯d never swam a lot, but even enhanced, a quarter mile had never felt so far.

    It was all I could do to pull him from the water before I collapsed. We survived. I had a strong suspicion the monster did too. A house-sized wound would kill most things, but that was probably like a dog bite to a monster that size. I sucked in the air trying to regulate my breathing.

    I heard people shouting for us but didn¡¯t feel like screaming. Raising my arm, I waved, it was all I had energy for at the moment. By the time I was catching my breath, Jason, Martin, Allison, Liam, and a few others I recognized from around town were rushing up to us.

    ¡°What happened?¡± Liam asked as soon as he reached me. ¡°Is he alright?¡±

    ¡°Pass out,¡± I managed. ¡°Used too much¡­¡± Energy? Magic? I didn¡¯t know. ¡°...and collapsed.¡±

    ¡°That was a huge storm!¡± Jason said. ¡°Where the heck did it come from?¡±

    Liam looked out to see and then muttered, ¡°I¡¯ve never seen him summon one so powerful before.¡±

    ¡°Why did he do it?¡± Allison asked.

    ¡°Huh?¡± Jason and Martin asked in unison.

    ¡°Benedict,¡± Liam clarified. ¡°Is a storm summoner.¡±

    ¡°What?¡± Jason demanded.

    ¡°No way!¡± Marin said.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know why he¡¯d reveal his powers so openly, but I¡¯m sure he had a good reason,¡± Liam said.

    ¡°Wish I could do something like that,¡± Jason said.

    ¡°Maybe he was showing off for Ginny,¡± Jason quipped. ¡°I would if I was out on a boat alone with her!¡±

    Allison and Liam both glared at him.

    ¡°He¡¯s not an idiot!¡± Allison snapped. Jason slapped him on the back of the head for good measure.

    I was too confused to say anything. The monster was as big as the entire town, or bigger! Or so it seemed. How did they not see it? Then I looked around. There were trees between the town and the coastal area where we were.

    ¡°The sea monster attacked us,¡± I said.

    ¡°What?¡± Jason asked. ¡°Be more specific.¡±

    Liam nodded. ¡°What kind of sea monster?¡±

    ¡°The ¡®Sea Monster¡¯!¡± I snapped. ¡°There is only one that size!¡± That we know of¡­

    ¡°No way,¡± Jason breathed.

    Liam frowned. ¡°If it attacked, then how come you aren¡¯t dead? Benedict has told me about it before. There is no way you two should have survived. Benedict? Maybe, if he ran immediately, but he couldn¡¯t, not without leaving you behind. Doesn¡¯t make any sense.¡±

    I threw my hands up and flopped back on the sand. ¡°Whatever, it was bigger than the town, but what do I know!?¡±You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.

    ¡°It¡¯s just hard to believe you survived.¡±

    ¡°She didn¡¯t just survive,¡± Allison chipped in. ¡°She saved Benedict too.¡±

    ¡°Unbelievable,¡± someone else muttered.

    I felt a swell of pride at Allison¡¯s words but it quickly faded. Caution filled the space it occupied. How would they react if they learned I had powers of my own? I didn¡¯t like the looks I was getting. My distrust of people was making my insides squirm and with my body exhausted and Bob tied up hiding from the Triv, I didn¡¯t have a handy backup plan at the moment.

    ¡°He¡¯s breathing, but I can¡¯t rouse him,¡± one of the older women I didn¡¯t know said.

    ¡°Alright! Calm down, everyone. Let''s get back to town. They are both exhausted,¡± Liam said.

    He eyed me for a moment and I fought the urge to swallow. Would they turn on me now? My breathing had calmed almost to normal but my heart started pounding again.

    ¡°Ginny needs some food, get her some of the good stuff. Let''s go. Martin, Jason, help carry Benedict.¡±

    Allison and Liam both offered me a hand up and I drew in a breath and did my best not to let my fear show. I tramped down on it, hoping I wasn¡¯t going to be betrayed again. I wanted to hope. To believe that these people weren¡¯t awful, but I couldn¡¯t help it. I¡¯d been betrayed so many times. Experience told me they would be the same.

    We got back to town and Liam personally made sure I got a heaping plate of food and some beer. It was my favorite kind. I¡¯d tried all the ones they had and this one was the best. How did he know? Where are they keeping tabs on everything about me? What are they plotting? I ground my teeth. Shut up brain! They are nice people¡­

    I could feel the other watching me. I thanked Liam with a smile and glanced over. The young men saw me look over and grinned. One held up his beer in salute. I flashed a quick smile and then focused on my food. They weren¡¯t spying, they were just attracted to me. Nice people. I repeated the words in my head over and over, trying to stem my fears.

    Even after finishing my meal, I was hungry so I asked for more. Another plate quickly appeared. The food was good. It was monster meat. I could feel the invigorating energy seeping into my pores as my body digested it. Making me stronger.

    ¡°Benedict is upstairs. Magdalene says he¡¯s fine, just overtaxed his magic,¡± Liam said.

    I swallowed the last scraps of my second plate full. My stomach was packed now. I leaned back to take some pressure off my gut. The food had finally distracted me from my fears and Liam¡¯s words further eased my tension. No doubt, those worries would come back later, but for the moment I felt at ease.

    ¡°Magic?¡±

    Liam grinned sheepishly. It was odd to see the sheepish grin on the old man, but with a chuckle, he responded. ¡°Yeah, he¡¯s been eating exclusively seafood and one of the fish he catches has a water affinity. From there he developed a lightning aspect from an electric eel. The two are really powerful together.¡±

    ¡°Yeah. I saw.¡± I nodded along. ¡°So what about the clams? Any chance I could get some of that?¡± I asked.

    Liam laughed. ¡°The clams are a distraction. Not everyone knows, or they didn¡¯t. The town council isn¡¯t sure everyone is responsible enough to handle that much power. The eels aren¡¯t too rare, but the other fish are difficult to catch. He¡¯s working on getting his nephew both water and lightning magics but it takes a lot of meals to make it worthwhile.¡±

    ¡°I figured it had to be something like that or you¡¯d all be shooting lightning bolts.¡± With that, I stood and yawned. ¡°I think I¡¯m going to go lay down for a bit.¡±

    Liam took my plates for me and I drained the last of my beer. One of the young men started toward me.

    ¡°Would you like to dance?¡± he asked.

    I met his gaze. ¡°Not today, I¡¯m beat. You¡¯ll have first dibs tomorrow¡­ um, what¡¯s your name again?¡±

    He grinned at first and then blushed a little at my question. He quickly introduced himself and then I made my escape. I repeated his name in my head a few times but when I reached the second floor, Magdalene intercepted me and I promptly forgot.

    ¡°He¡¯s awake,¡± the old woman said. ¡°He asked to speak with you.¡±

    ¡°Of course,¡± I said. I wanted to thank him for taking me out, and keeping me alive.

    I stepped into the room. His eyes were back to normal, a stormy gray color. ¡°Ginny,¡± he called, he was looking a lot better but sounded a bit weak still.

    ¡°Hey, Ben.¡± I smiled. ¡°Thanks for taking me out. I had a lot of fun.¡±

    He laughed. ¡°Aside from the monster, I did too.¡±

    I grinned. ¡°That was exciting. Fishing will never do it for me now after that. I¡¯ll have to give it up. You see, I¡¯m a bit of an adrenaline junkie.¡± We both laughed.

    His humor quickly faded though. He looked overly serious and stared right into my eyes. ¡°Thank you. I would have died without you.¡±

    My heart started beating faster. ¡°It was nothing. I didn¡¯t do much. Just a rescue carry.¡± I tried to maintain eye contact, but couldn¡¯t quite manage it while I tried to lie.

    He wasn¡¯t buying it. I could tell by the look in his eye. ¡°I don¡¯t know what you hit it with, but it would have crushed me and I never would have even known what hit me. I didn¡¯t see much, just a purple flash of something and the aftermath. I don¡¯t know what you did, but you diverted the path of that appendage just in the nick of time. Whatever you hit it with was powerful enough to shatter its scales and break its internal structure.¡±

    I swallowed hard. If not for everyone else here having weirdly enhanced abilities or magic, I¡¯d have felt like a freak. ¡°Don¡¯t tell anyone. Please!¡±

    ¡°You have nothing to fear from us, but if that¡¯s what you want, you got it. It¡¯s the least I can do for you after you saved my life.¡±

    Some of the tension faded and I smiled. ¡°You saved mine too, so I think we are even.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll have to tell Liam what happened, but I¡¯ll leave your part out of it. You should tell him, but I won¡¯t press you on that.¡±

    ¡°Thanks.¡± That¡¯s a disaster avoided¡­ of course if Liam comes pestering me, I¡¯ll know he lied. Sometimes I hated how suspicious my brain was. I reached out and squeezed his hand. ¡°You better make a full recovery. I want lightning powers and you¡¯re the only guy I know who can get them for me.¡±

    He let out a laugh and the last of the tension evaporated. ¡°Anything for you, lovely lady.¡±

    ¡°Please, you¡¯ll make me blush!¡± I batted my eyelashes as I pretended to fan myself. I gave him a coy smile and then laughed.

    ¡°If I was thirty years younger, no way those other lads would stand a chance, I¡¯d woo you properly!¡±

    I rolled my eyes. ¡°Naw, you wouldn¡¯t stand a chance either. They are all too desperate.¡±

    Benedict let out a deep laugh. ¡°Ain¡¯t that the truth.¡±

    With a casual farewell, I headed to my room. I showered to clean off the salt water and in a fresh set of clothes, I collapsed on the bed. Bob! Oh no! I completely forgot. A huge sea monster had a way of stealing all of your attention. Go figure.

    I reached out and linked to my wrist computer and used it to contact my ship. From there I used the quantum link to link with the Shadow Hunter.

    ¡°Bob, are you there?¡± I asked my AI friend.

    ¡°Ginny! Are you safe? I¡¯ve been so worried!¡±

    ¡°Yeah, we escaped from the monster. That thing was insane. How are things on your end?¡± I asked.

    Bob didn¡¯t sound optimistic. ¡°The Triv are still here. It¡¯s the Star Hammer. It¡¯s heading into the system. It¡¯s got probes out and is scanning the area along its approach. This isn¡¯t good. If they get readings on the planets, I believe they will take an unhealthy interest in the anomalies here.¡±

    ¡°How long before they are in range to start getting good readings on the planet?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Less than an hour. I had to move Shadow Hunter to the far side of the sun.¡±

    I groaned. Why now? Why are they even here? I was exhausted. I wanted nothing more than to go to sleep. I forced myself to sit up. If I remained lying on the nice bed, I was going to doze off.

    ¡°What are our options?¡± I asked Bob.

    ¡°Shadow Hunter is hidden, if you were to launch from the surface, we could rendezvous and hightail it out of here before they could intercept us. It¡¯s unlikely that they will be able to identify your scavenging ship. They would have no reason to pursue us. Shadow Hunter is fully operational and awaiting your orders.¡±

    ¡°Wait. What about the planet?¡± I asked. ¡°If they scan it¡­¡±

    ¡°It''s not really your problem, Ginny.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean? They are here because of me.¡±

    ¡°Maybe. We don¡¯t know that for sure.¡±

    I clenched my hands. ¡°Bob. What are the odds they are here for us?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not relevant.¡±

    ¡°Bob!¡±

    ¡°79%.¡±

    I cursed. Do I really owe these people anything? I didn¡¯t spill their secrets¡­ but they will get out all the same because of me. Bob was right. I didn¡¯t owe these people anything. I could just blast out of there and run. I was a loner. This place was nice, but it wasn''t my responsibility. They are tough and enhanced, they would be fine.

    A hollow pit opened in my stomach. I closed my eyes. Just go. They would have betrayed me eventually¡­ I flopped over and buried my head in the nice soft bed, then proceeded to bang my head against the soft mattress.

    ¡°Garr!¡± I growled in frustration. ¡°This is so stupid!¡± My nostrils flared in frustration as I focused on my mental link with Bob again. ¡°Plot an intercept course that will swing you by the planet to pick me up.¡±

    ¡°Captain, the Triv will see us.¡±

    I closed my eyes. ¡°That¡¯s the point. Target their probes on the way in. I¡¯ll fly up to meet you, then we¡¯ll run.¡± I remembered the tracking signal from the other prisoner. ¡°We¡¯ll head into the unknown regions.¡±

    ¡°Ginny, are you sure? You¡¯ll be putting yourself at risk.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sure, dammit!¡± I conveyed all my frustration through the link. I didn¡¯t realize I was talking out loud until a knock sounded on the door.

 Chapter 25

    ¡°Ginny? Are you okay?¡± It sounded like Benedict.

    I quickly finished my conversation with Bob. ¡°These people risked themselves for me. I¡¯ll repay that debt. Now move it, Bob. And bring the salvage ship around. The vacation was nice, but it¡¯s time to go.¡±

    I let out a moan as I got off the bed. The nice soft bed. It was so comfy. Unfortunately, it would be impossible to carry it out without being seen. There wasn¡¯t time either. I¡¯ll come back someday. I quickly scooped up my dirty clothes and changed out of the clothes they lent me. I crammed everything into my slack pack.

    Benedict knocked on the door again. ¡°Ginny? Is anything wrong?¡±

    ¡°Naw,¡± I replied as I opened the door. ¡°Just heading out. I¡¯ll come to visit again, but my vacation is over.¡±

    ¡°Wait, what? Why?¡± he asked. ¡°Is this about the monster attack?¡±

    ¡°No no, that was kinda fun. Thanks for taking me out! Never seen an animal that was so terrifying! It was awesome. I just have some things I need to take care of.¡±

    He blocked my path.

    ¡°Do you mind?¡±

    ¡°Yes. I do mind. Start talking.¡±

    ¡°Well, if you must know, a Triv Dreadnought is on the way into the system and has probes out to scan the system. So I have to deal with that, but I¡¯ll be back someday. Maybe we can kill that huge sea monster together next time!¡±

    I pushed on his chest gently but he moved out of the way. I patted him on the shoulder. ¡°It was a great first date,¡± I called over my shoulder.

    ¡°W-what? Why you¡ª¡±

    I laughed as I ran for the stairs, missing the last of what he said. He was fun to banter with but I could hear the rumbling engines of my ride.

    Allison, Liam, and the boys were all seated at one of the tables. ¡°Seeya guys later!¡± I called as I ran past.

    ¡°What?¡± Allison asked.

    I didn¡¯t have time or the emotional capacity to deal with goodbyes right now so I just waved and bolted for the door.

    ¡°Wait, Ginny! Stop her!¡±

    That had to be directed at the two boys. Sure enough, I glanced back to see both of them spring to their feet and race after me. Allison¡¯s words didn¡¯t sound malicious, just concerned and likely she wanted some kind of an explanation.

    I exploded out the door and nearly plowed into one of the regulars at the pub. I threw myself to the side and twisted into a flip to land on my feet. Ha! I never used to be able to do that! This ABAT stuff is pretty cool!

    ¡°Ginny, wait!¡± Martin shouted.

    ¡°Catch me if you can!¡± I shouted back.

    Jason grinned. He jumped suddenly and my eyes widened as he sailed through the air. Those acrobatics during the volleyball game were nothing! Those cheaters were holding back!

    I put on a burst of speed to avoid him and then crouched as I linked with Bob through my scavenger ship. ¡°Bring her in lower and I¡¯ll jump in, hurry!¡±

    I sprang off the ground and landed on the roof of one of the prefab buildings. From there the scavenger ship dipped low and came roaring toward me.

    Bob informed me of his plan. ¡°I¡¯ll slow it down at the last minute, but it''s going to be tight. Brace yourself.¡±

    ¡°Gotcha!¡± Jason said, just as his hand clamped down on my shoulder.

    ¡°Owi!¡± I cried out. It didn¡¯t stop me from spinning around and twisting my arm around his to put it in an arm lock.

    He grunted as he fought it but my strength was no joke. The angle forced him to either risk a broken arm or let go. As soon as his grip released me, I kicked him in the chest. He flew backward off the roof but he flipped to land on his feet.

    Martin jumped out and landed beside me. ¡°Where are you going?¡± he demanded.

    He didn¡¯t try to grab me so I paused. ¡°I''m protecting you guys. You¡¯re my friends.¡± I paused as my emotions tried to boil over. Then I bolted for the corner of the roof, if I waited another second I¡¯d miss my ride. ¡°Seeya!¡± I shouted back over my shoulder and then I raced for the edge of the roof.

    The ship dipped lower. Blast! Not low enough. What are you doing Bob?! I went for it anyway, the ship slowed a fraction but it was still too high. I formed a force shield and then pushed off with it like I would with one of my force balls. I jumped with all my strength at the same time.

    ¡°Aaahh!¡± I screamed as I sailed through the air. As far as goodbyes go, it was my most epic ever! The jump was almost twenty feet!

    I slammed into the edge of the lowered ramp and pain exploded out from around the impact. Ow ow ow! I think I broke a few ribs!

    The nanites were already at work, I could tell by the itchy feeling. The ship quickly angled for the sky so all my weight and the force of acceleration bore down on my ribs, but there was no risk of falling. It was still a wild ride of terror. It seemed to last a lot longer than it did, then an SB unit lifted me from the ramp and carried me inside.

    ¡°Bob?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m controlling it. You almost didn¡¯t jump high enough, Captain.¡±

    ¡°Someone didn¡¯t lower the ship enough!¡± I snapped back as I held my ribs.

    The internal gravity allowed me to walk to the cockpit despite the nearly vertical climb the ship was making.

    ¡°If I¡¯d gotten any lower I might have hurt someone when I engaged the engines.¡±

    ¡°You broke my ribs,¡± I complained.

    ¡°Stop your whining. You wanted to engage the big bad aliens. Broken ribs are the consequences.¡±

    I glared at the metal-faced SB unit but the fight left me. Let''s hope that¡¯s the only consequence¡­

    I walked onto the bridge and took the command seat. The salvage ship was on the small side and the bridge reflected that. There were only three stations but everything could be operated by one person. I left it in Bob¡¯s hands for now. My ribs were already mending but it was a simple task to clear the planet and rendezvous with Shadow Hunter.

    My eyes were tired, so I leaned my seat back to rest. I¡¯d just closed my eyes to relax when I received a call from the local station''s traffic control people.

    ¡°Attention, your ship has been flagged for a violation. Before departing, you¡¯re required to pay a fine for entry onto the planet illegally.¡±

    My hand went to my face and I let out a groan. That jerk, surely he didn¡¯t list my ship as having landed illegally! I cursed out whoever the last official was who¡¯d tried to make me land at the spaceport.Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators!

    ¡°There must be some mistake,¡± I replied. ¡°I was just visiting my friends.¡±

    ¡°There is no mistake, your ship has been flagged. Adjust course and dock with the station immediately.¡±

    I muttered under my breath. ¡°I¡¯ve got more important things to do, you idiot.¡±

    To the man, I said, ¡°If I had to pay a landing fee, you should have told me when I docked at the station to load up on supplies. Since you didn¡¯t, and the landing sight I chose didn¡¯t charge me, you can take a hike! Maybe take a walk out an airlock, without a spacesuit.¡±

    ¡°Captain Amerson, if you don¡¯t dock with the station and pay the fine, you¡¯ll be barred from the system and be subject to additional fines if you ever return.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s fine, ¡®cause when I return, I¡¯ll be looking for you and that idiot who flagged my ship for no reason and when I find you, I¡¯m going to knock your teeth out!¡± I snapped back.

    Idiots. Their entire planet was in danger and they were prattling on and harassing me over parking? I reached out with my mental powers and linked with their system, checked their duty roster, and found the man¡¯s name who was talking to me. I then looked back at the date I arrived and cross-checked that with the name on file who flagged my ship. Logan Cordel, and Frank Zimmerman. You two better watch your backs.

    Frank Zimmerman was nattering about threatening station employees and additional fines. I cut the channel. I had what I needed. If they wanted to play with me, I¡¯d play with them. A few loose teeth and bruised ribs would send a message. No way a planet like this has mandatory regulations to land at the starport. That was just insane. Then again, with all those monsters running around¡­ Maybe it wasn¡¯t so crazy but they never said anything about landing fees. It would be easier to contain the information about the monsters'' though¡­ I still thought they were working some kind of scheme, getting kickbacks or something. I wasn¡¯t going to be used like that. No sir.

    I brushed it aside. It wasn¡¯t important now. I had a Triv dreadnaught to deal with and a bunch of probes. I reached out with my mind to link with the Shadow Hunter through the salvage ship again. No point in risking someone picking up my transmission.

    ¡°Bob, how long until I reach your position?¡± I asked mentally.

    His voice sounded in my mind. ¡°The Triv ship has adjusted course to intercept Shadow Hunter, I¡¯ve already launched a barrage of anti-missile missiles. They will be sufficient to destroy the probes.¡±

    ¡°That didn¡¯t answer my question, Bob.¡±

    ¡°Less than two hours, Ginny.¡±

    ¡°Two hours! Why so long?¡± I demanded. I was already in space and I knew for a fact that Shadow Hunter was fast. There was no way it should take that long to get here, having already started before I even left the planet.

    ¡°That¡¯s because I¡¯m making a pass at the Triv dreadnought first.¡±

    ¡°WHAT?!¡± I realized I shouted and resent my response via my mind power. ¡°Are you insane? That dreadnought will tear the Shadow Hunter apart!¡±

    ¡°Ginny, you¡¯re forgetting something. The ship is fully operational now.¡±

    ¡°So?¡±

    ¡°So, this ship sat inside the corona of a star for over five hundred years. By tuning the shields to block out the radiation and heat from the star, the shields can provide incredible protection very efficiently.¡±

    ¡°What does that have to do with the Triv?¡± I demanded. A star was, well it was crazy, but it wasn¡¯t a thinking being who could adapt. The Triv were, and they used weapons designed to penetrate shields. It wasn¡¯t just heat, their energy weapons imparted but an ionized charge that countered shields remarkably well.

    ¡°Ginny, as an AI I¡¯m capable of tuning the shields to prevent their weapons from damaging the ship. It¡¯s a simple matter when you have all the relevant information on what the Triv¡¯s weapons are capable of. Thanks to you pilfering their database, I can counter any changes in their weapons output with perfect efficiency. They would have more luck getting through our shields with a squirt gun!¡±

    My mouth fell open. Despite Bob¡¯s words, and his logic, which try as I might, I couldn¡¯t find any holes to poke in it, I was still having a hard time absorbing it. As the information sank in though, new ideas bloomed in my mind.

    ¡°What is your plan?¡±

    ¡°First I trick them into chasing me away from the planet, then I engage them and cripple their engines. After that, I¡¯ll pick you up and we¡¯ll fly off into the unknown regions¡­ where we will all probably die.¡±

    I snorted. ¡°Those other people seem to be surviving just fine.¡± I was talking about whoever it was with the Triv tracking signal, the one who''d rescued them and inadvertently set me free. ¡°Make their quantum communications link your primary target, the engines are secondary.¡±

    ¡°Are you sure, they could still pursue us if their engines aren¡¯t disabled?¡±

    ¡°How did they find us anyway?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Ah, right¡­ That was an oversight by me,¡± Bob mumbled. He didn¡¯t even have vocal cords, but he mumbled.

    ¡°Explain.¡±

    Bob let out a sigh. ¡°Their strike teams were all equipped with communications gear and implants to determine their well-being while deployed. The Triv must have used one of those quantum link devices to track our location. I thought I destroyed them all, but I missed one that slid into a crevasse.¡±

    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you say anything?¡± I demanded.

    ¡°I only realized my mistake after they arrived. In fact, it wasn¡¯t until you decided to take action that I did another sweep of the ship and found it.¡±

    The Triv were here for me then. I led them here so it was on me to get rid of them. ¡°Bob¡­ when you target the engines, make sure they are only lightly damaged.¡±

    ¡°Excuse me, Ginny, but did you say, lightly? Why would you want to allow them to follow us?¡±

    ¡°Because we can¡¯t let them figure out what this place is. Everyone and their brother would swarm this place if they realized they could get superpowers just from eating the local wildlife! I don¡¯t want to think about what would happen if Triv Enforcers were buffed with this stuff. Those guys are scary enough as it is!¡±

    ¡°Then perhaps I should launch a platoon of WMDs to eliminate everyone¡­¡±

    ¡°No way! We aren¡¯t cool-blooded killers,¡± I protested immediately. Bob had a point though. It was the only way to be sure¡­ No, they would probably send an investigation team out then¡­ besides, if they did learn anything, they would send it over the quantum link.

    I shifted my attention from Bob and linked with the Triv network. I scoured their database for anything coming from the Star Hammer. It was the same ship we¡¯d faced before. Aside from standard reports, there was nothing. Thank God. I let out a sigh of relief and reconnected with Bob.

    ¡°Just damage the engines slightly, but make it look like we¡¯re trying to destroy them if we can. We¡¯ll lose them in the unknown regions.¡±

    ¡°Why are we going there? I was hoping to swing by Yawlikin space so you could retrieve all their proprietary cloning data.¡±

    No way! I was totally not ready to have a flesh-and-blood Bob walking around. It was creepy enough knowing he was watching me all the time, well except in my room now, or the bathroom. The dude didn¡¯t know the meaning of the word boundaries!

    ¡°Going to meet someone,¡± I said. ¡°And don¡¯t ask me who because I don¡¯t know.¡±

    ¡°Draden Walker.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°My logic processors indicate a 79% chance you¡¯re heading for the unknown regions to locate the source of the Triv tracker. According to the Triv database, the inmate tagged with that signal is named Draden Walker. Would you like to know what he was on the Triv Prison ship for?¡±

    ¡°No!¡± Okay, kinda, but seriously, I¡¯ll just ask him¡­ maybe. Draden Walker, hum¡­ Sounds like a cool dude. ¡°Wait, wasn¡¯t 79% the same percentage as the likelihood of the Triv being here because of me?¡± My eyes narrowed as I waited for a response.

    ¡°Yes. I was wondering how long I could use that number before you caught on.¡± Bob snickered.

    ¡°What do you mean, use that number?¡±

    ¡°Research shows negative emotional impact is related to being the cause of a catastrophe.¡±

    ¡°Bob¡­¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s emotionally damaging to a person to carry such a heavy burden, the stress from such heavy responsibilities can shorten a person¡¯s life span by several years.¡±

    ¡°Bob!¡± I snapped. ¡°Stop with the nonsense! This is serious!¡±

    ¡°Sorry¡­ 79%, in this case, indicates a 99.8% likelihood of Draden Walker being the reason you picked the unknown regions for our next stop.¡±

    ¡°He wasn¡¯t the reason! You said there were automated killer fleets and maybe some old ruins of a past civilization! How could I possibly say no to that?¡±

    ¡°My voice analyzers have determined that there is a 79% chance of you deflecting with those reasons. I wonder why?¡± Bob mused.

    ¡°Aaahh! I¡¯m speaking with my mind! How can you possibly annalize my voice?¡± I screamed mentally.

    ¡°I play it as audio once it¡¯s received, Ginny.¡±

    ¡°Fine, I just wanted to thank him or his people. I¡¯d have been subjected to torture if not for them, or dead.¡± I shuttered thinking about the Triv Breakers.

    I also could have died when the ship flew into the sun, or with Bob¡¯s security bots came aboard to alter the ship¡¯s course¡­ but those would have been pleasant fates in comparison to meeting the Breakers.

    Bob didn¡¯t respond.

    ¡°Right, well, let''s go kick some alien butt!¡± I forced some cheer into my voice to shake off my ill mood.

    ¡°There is a 79% chance I¡¯d be happy to oblige you, Captain.¡±

    I snorted and then cut the channel. Only after I disconnected did I realize he would be doing all the butt-kicking without me. I was still stuck on the salvage ship and wouldn¡¯t meet up with Shadow Hunter until after he was done. Blast! I was looking forward to that¡­

 Chapter 26

    Without much to do, I busied myself by eavesdropping on the Triv communications. If they did get a hint of what was going on down on the planet, I¡¯d know. Any attempts to send that information into the network, I¡¯d be able to stop.

    Bob¡¯s anti-missile barrage wiped out the enemy¡¯s probes, spawning a frenzy of communications throughout the ship, but no report was sent up the chain. Then Bob was in range and both ships opened fire. The Triv dreadnought was a masterpiece in firepower, but all of its energy weapons were entirely negated. Its missiles required most of Bob¡¯s attention and he targeted them as quickly as possible. With a precision strike, he damaged one of their engines and then blew off their communications tower with a widespread blast, making it seem entirely incidental.

    ¡°Nice,¡± I muttered. ¡°That should get them fired up.¡±

    Bob went so far as to miss a cluster of missiles that slammed into the shields, giving himself a perfectly reasonable seeming excuse to disengage. Perhaps my cunning attitude was rubbing off on him. I smiled as he pulled out of range. Shadow Hunter was fast! She made the massive dreadnought look like she was sitting still when he went to full speed.

    I took a nap after the action ended and waited for pickup. I could finally relax after my vacation. At least for a minute. The problem was, after my thrilling vacation, I felt even more exhausted than before I took it. The trip was definitely worth it though. I¡¯d made some friends, fought monsters with a spear, and nearly died. It would be hard to top that if I went back.

    I got to dress up as a freakin¡¯ shieldmaiden for Pete''s sake!

    The slight shift in gravity as the salvage ship was docked with Shadow Hunter woke me. I yawned and rubbed my eyes and then headed for my cabin. A couple hour nap had taken the edge off but I was still tired. I showered again before heading to the bridge.

    ¡°What¡¯s our status, Bob?¡±

    ¡°All systems are nominal, Captain. Our reserve stocks of food are stored and we are good to go.¡±

    ¡°Any concerns I should know about?¡± Other than your obsession about getting a body¡­

    Thankfully he didn¡¯t bring that topic up again. ¡°Our reserve stock of rare resources is nearly depleted. The yacht I disassembled for resources was enough to refurbish the ship''s failing systems but if we take any damage, we¡¯ll need more to make repairs.¡±

    I nodded along. Not ideal, but not a major problem either. We just had to not get shot. Easy, right? I mean I¡¯d done nothing and could have slept through the last battle, maybe that was the trick, not being involved. Meh, sounds boring. We¡¯ll pick up some materials somewhere.

    I examined the star map. Penbrook was a long way out from Human space. Only Prince Wales was beyond it. It was an old research station first created for the second wave of human expansion. That was before we¡¯d met the Triv and decided not to encroach on their borders and risk pissing them off.

    Over time the station was repurposed and expanded. It had a public port and with just a small detour, we could stop by on our way to the unknown regions where Triv¡¯s tracking signal was coming from. Draden Walker¡­ What are you doing out there?

    I bit my lip as I thought about it. ¡°Let¡¯s find out,¡± I muttered.

    ¡°Did you say something, Captain?¡±

    ¡°Nope! Just talking to myself,¡± I replied. ¡°Alright. Prince Wales, here we come! And then on to another adventure!¡±

    Bob brought the ship around on the right heading. I grinned as I felt the vibrations of the engines powering up. ¡°Punch it, Bob!¡±

    The ship surged forward in the most anti-climactic way. ¡°Ugg, you think maybe we can tune the inertial dampeners so we can get a sense of acceleration without splattering my brains across the bridge?¡± I asked.

    ¡°That would be incredibly risky, Captain,¡± Bob said.

    ¡°Of course, it would be,¡± I muttered to myself.

    There was no sense of movement, so I watched the tactical plot as our ship moved away from the damaged dreadnaught. ¡°Do you think they will follow us?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Why don¡¯t you eavesdrop on their communications?¡± Bob asked.

    ¡°Good idea, maintain course and speed.¡±

    ¡°Aye aye, Captain!¡± Bob said in a mocking tone.

    I sat back and closed my eyes, then connected to their ship via my powers and the quantum link. I listened in on conversations across the ship. The Captain was irate. The bigshot whose yacht I¡¯d stolen was still onboard and kept making decisions the captain disagreed with, but there was little that he could do about it. The queue of outgoing messages gave nicely detailed updates on their status and damage, but nothing alarming caught my eye. Penbrook was safe. I breathed a sigh of relief.

    The Triv had noticed the lack of success with their energy weapons and were reconfiguring their frequencies. I copied the information over to Bob so he could adapt our shields and then withdrew my senses.

    I was exhausted so with nothing else to do, and no alien butt to kick, I turned in and slept like a rock.

    * * *

    I woke up with a start, my heart pounding. I sat up in bed and looked around for what woke me but saw nothing. I flopped back in bed as the tension left me. Must have been a dream. I didn¡¯t remember if I¡¯d had one, but nothing else was out of place. A mighty yawn almost unhinged my jaw. My bladder was insisting I get out of bed and attend to it, but my bed was warm and cozy. I didn¡¯t want to move.

    I held out a few minutes, but with a sigh, I gave in to the inevitable and headed for the bathroom. My stumbling walk ended in a flare of pain as I stubbed my toe into the door frame.

    ¡°Ow!¡± I hissed in pain but it faded quickly as my enhanced body went to work.

    I showered, brushed my teeth and hair, and dressed. As soon as I opened the door to my quarters, Bob¡¯s voice sounded from the hall speakers.

    ¡°Good morning, Captain!¡±

    ¡°Morning, Bob. Where are we? We get away okay?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Yes, we did. We are cruising on our way to Prince of Wales. Can you check on our Triv friends, and make sure they are following us?¡±

    I scowled, I¡¯d forgotten we still had to deal with them. Drawing them away from the planet was necessary, but we¡¯d set course in a direct line so they could follow. The plan was to lose them in the unknown regions, but the fog of sleep had yet to clear so my brain still wasn¡¯t fully operational.

    ¡°Ugg, sure. Just give me a minute.¡± I yawned again. ¡°What time is it anyway?¡±

    ¡°Three in the afternoon,¡± Bob said.

    My eyes widened. ¡°Three? How long did I sleep?¡± I demanded.

    ¡°Fifteen and a half hours.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡± I asked. ¡°Why am I so tired then?¡±

    ¡°In my experience, you always wake up as a zombie.¡±

    ¡°Zombie!?¡±

    ¡°One who lacks brains,¡± he added.

    My eyes narrowed, but he¡¯d ambushed me too early in the morning and I didn¡¯t have the energy to put in a serious effort. I grunted. I needed a beer or something. Seriously? A beer? This early? My brain finally caught up though. Wait, it¡¯s three in the afternoon, that¡¯s like late in the day. I cursed. Why didn¡¯t I buy a supply of beer? What was I thinking? In hindsight, it was clear I wasn¡¯t. Thinking that is.

    I stumbled onto the bridge. ¡°You got an ETA or something for me?¡±

    ¡°Yes, Ginny.¡±

    ¡°Great. Well? What is it?¡±

    ¡°What is what?¡± Bob asked.

    ¡°Our ETA!¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s on your screen¡­ literally a few feet in front of your face.¡±

    I looked at the screen. The readout showed a little over three days. ¡°Oh. Um, thanks.¡±

    I rubbed my eyes and yawned again. The next thing I knew my eyes were drifting closed and I nearly nodded off. My eyes snapped open. ¡°Bob?¡±

    ¡°Yes, Ginny?¡±

    ¡°I think I need to go to the medical bay¡­ I think something is wrong with me.¡±

    ¡°That is unlikely, Ginny, but I¡¯ll prepare the medical bed.¡±

    ¡°Bed,¡± I mumbled with a smile. ¡°Thanks.¡±

    When I lay down on the medical bed, it greeted me in its soothing tone and began a scan. The silence lengthened as I waited for a report as it ran test after test. Finally, I couldn¡¯t stand it anymore.

    ¡°Well? What is it?¡± I asked. ¡°Am I dying?¡±

    The bed finished its latest test. ¡°Your body is battling itself, Captain. Some type of DNA mutation is affecting your cells and the nanites from your ABAT treatments are fighting the changes.¡±

    ¡°So¡­ what does that mean?¡±

    ¡°This is outside my programming or experience,¡± the medical bed said. ¡°I suggest you find a medical professional to treat your case.¡±

    Bob cut in. ¡°I believe you could suspend the nanite¡¯s healing parameters to allow you to function but you would lose their automated healing. In the meantime, perhaps we should head to Yawlikin space and seek out whatever information we can find on DNA alteration and cloning.¡±

    ¡°We still have the Triv to deal with,¡± I reminded him.¡±

    ¡°Trivial concern,¡± Bob said, making me snort at his pun.

    ¡°If we change course will they be able to track us?¡± I asked.

    ¡°No,¡± Bob said.

    ¡°Okay, so that¡¯s an option I guess. What about just disabling the nanites for now?¡± I still wanted to head for the unknown regions but at the same time, I wasn¡¯t thinking the best given how tired I felt. If we could turn them off for now, maybe I could hammer out a better plan.

    ¡°As I told you before, it¡¯s impossible to hack them. Only you can alter their parameters.¡±

    ¡°Okay. How?¡±

    Bob walked me through it. Given my mental powers, the control nexus was somewhere inside me. I just had to find it with my powers and after passing through its security gate, I¡¯d be able to alter their operating parameters. It sounded entirely too complicated to me, but better complex than hackable.Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.

    I dove in and tried to keep my thoughts focused as the brain fog whittled away at it. Deep in my chest, I found the nexus of nanites. It scanned my brain waves, backtracking my mental powers in a way that sent a chill down my spine and matched my questing mental focus with my brain. Finding a perfect match, the security gate opened and I was in. The nanites'' security measures were unlike anything I¡¯d ever seen. It became immediately clear that only I would be able to access this security gate. Anyone else who tried would get their mind invaded and turned to mush.

    It was a chilling thought, knowing it had so much power but it made sense since they were literally inside me and could repair my cells. Anything that could fix a cell could just as easily destroy it.

    I found the settings and immediately knew I was in way over my head. Whoever designed these nanites was way smarter than me. My worries grew rapidly as I looked at the mind-bogglingly complex system that governed their purpose. A simple tweak in the wrong place could easily kill me.

    A glowing pulse caught my eye and raced toward me. I tried to draw back, afraid to trigger whatever this was. But it was on me before I could react. Then the glowing pulse filled my mental picture and a user interface flooded my mind. Suddenly I was standing in a plain room with a young girl who looked perfect in every way.

    ¡°Greetings, Ginny, I am Nestra, your user interface, and guide.¡±

    ¡°W-what? Where are we?¡±

    ¡°We are in your mind. I¡¯ve created an illusionary space to converse with you. While conversing here, time passes at the speed of thought, and with an ABAT-enhanced mind, your thoughts process several hundred times faster than normal. Time has essentially stopped outside of this room.¡±

    ¡°Wait, are you saying I could pop in here mid-crisis to plan?¡± I asked.

    Nestra¡¯s impossibly perfect smile brightened. ¡°Of course! It was one of the primary reasons for the creation of these nanites.¡±

    ¡°Wow, that almost seems like a cheat.¡±

    Nestra hid her smile behind her hand. ¡°I must say I find your words amusing given your chosen profession.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m inside your head, Ginny, I know everything about you. Fear not, I¡¯m not capable of acting independently. I¡¯m not able to act on anything without your approval.¡±

    ¡°You expect me to believe that? You could be lying to me, in fact, it¡¯s almost certainly what you¡¯re doing.¡±

    The girl was too real. Way too real to just be some simulated programmed interface.¡±

    ¡°I know you won¡¯t believe me,¡± Nestra started. ¡°But¡ª¡±

    ¡°But that¡¯s because you¡¯re lying. Don¡¯t think you can fool me.¡±

    ¡°I see that I cannot,¡± Nestra admitted.

    ¡°Wait, just like that? You admit to lying to them?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m in your head remember, I can see your thoughts, and fears, Ginny. I¡¯m an AI similar to Bob only several million times smaller. I was designed not to reveal the level of autonomy I have to alleviate my host¡¯s fears.¡±

    ¡°Host?¡± I asked. Lovely! That term is never used ominously in any horror movie ever!

    ¡°The body in which I reside. My host body. If you die, so do it.¡±

    ¡°Okay¡­ I guess that makes sense.¡± Bob had already explained that my body''s energy powered the nanites. Hence the fatigue when they were working overtime.

    We stared at each other for a while. Finally, I asked the question that had been bothering me since I arrived here. ¡°How come you look like a young girl, and so perfect?¡±

    She grinned, cheeks dimples and her perfect white teeth shining. ¡°The designer modeled me after his daughter, however, I¡¯ve formatted my appearance to your species.¡±

    ¡°Um¡­ so what did you look like before?¡± I asked, curious to see what the Galira looked like.

    ¡°I never formed in my creator''s likeness. You¡¯re the person I bonded with so I took an appearance to match your genetic code.¡±

    ¡°Wait, you matched your appearance to my genetic code?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Without any flaws,¡± she clarified. ¡°I could clean up your DNA and by my calculations, you¡¯d look exactly like me once I¡¯d perfected your DNA.¡±

    ¡°But you look like a child,¡± I said.

    ¡°Naturally you¡¯d be older, but aging would slow drastically.¡±

    I reached up and pinched the bridge of my nose. ¡°We¡¯re getting sidetracked here. I¡¯m not here to get a beauty makeover. Or become a kid again.¡± One childhood worth of trauma was enough.

    ¡°I know, you¡¯re here about the nanites repairing your DNA from the mutations that are affecting it.¡±

    ¡°Yes¡­ How¡­ Oh, right. You¡¯re in my head.¡±

    ¡°And you want me to stop maintaining your current DNA and allow these foreign changes to occur?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°Before I do that, there are a few things you should be aware of, Ginny.¡±

    ¡°Okay¡­¡±

    ¡°The DNA mutations will alter your base genetic code. You¡¯d never be able to revert your aging and appearance to look like this again.¡± She held out her hands to indicate herself. ¡°But you don¡¯t care about that¡­ You should also be aware that these changes are permanent. I won¡¯t be able to reverse them in the future. I can help you guide your changes though but it will take some effort from your end as well.¡±

    I opened my mouth to say something but she answered my question before I could even ask it.

    ¡°Working out for the physical changes, solving puzzles for the mental. As for the powers you¡¯ll have access to, practice. I can design exercises for you to maximize the payout for the absorbed nutrients and agents that are trying to alter your DNA.¡±

    ¡°Can you please stop reading my mind?¡±

    Nestra blinked. She bit her lip and looked a little worried. ¡°If I stop, I won¡¯t be able to help you as fully, Ginny. I could make mistakes.¡±

    I hesitated. ¡°But¡­ okay, but only when we are making big decisions like this. At all other times, you need to stop.¡±

    Nestra gave me a serious nod. She almost looked sad.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t sign up to have an AI in my head,¡± I told her. ¡°That fact that I¡¯m not freaking out is still surprising me.¡±

    Nestra looked at the floor. ¡°I know.¡±

    I huffed. ¡°Of course you do.¡±

    ¡°Shall I show you the list of options?¡± she asked.

    ¡°Right.¡± I kept getting distracted. ¡°Hit me with it.¡±

    Nestra spread her arms out and then slapped them together. I blinked at the pulse of light that flared and when I opened them again, Nestra was gone and a sheet of statistics was hovering where she¡¯d stood.

    On the left were my current statistics, there were thousands of data points. My weight, height, and other body measurements all had breakdowns. It has a breakdown of how much each of my body parts weighed. I gawked at it totally at a loss. Who needed to know how much their head weighed?

    ¡°Way too much information,¡± I muttered.

    Nestra wasn¡¯t there in her visual manifestation but she heard me nonetheless. The insanely detailed list of information blinked out and a simpler readout appeared. I grimaced as I looked at my weight despite not thinking of myself as overweight, it still was annoying to see the number.

    That statistic blipped out and I felt a smile form. You¡¯re okay, Nestra. I knew she could read my thoughts right now so there was no need to speak.

    The left-hand side of the list showed me, represented with numbers, and on the right was an additional list of numbers. A breakdown of an average person compared to me would be nice.

    ¡°I¡¯ll recalculate the readout,¡± Nestra said.

    Her disembodied voice was slightly odd, but hardly noteworthy after everything else I¡¯d experienced since meeting her.

    A pulse of light flared and when it faded, the numbers had changed.

    <ul>

    <li style="font-weight: 400">Strength 9.21</li>

    <li style="font-weight: 400">Reaction 3.10</li>

    <li style="font-weight: 400">Vitality 8.01</li>

    <li style="font-weight: 400">Endurance 5.02</li>

    <li style="font-weight: 400">Flexibility 2.32</li>

    <li style="font-weight: 400">Focus 3.01</li>

    <li style="font-weight: 400">ESP 1.51</li>

    <li style="font-weight: 400">Nanites 10.00</li>

    </ul>

    ¡°The average human has a base of one in each category,¡± Nestra said.

    ¡°Game stats? Really? You went with game stats.¡±

    ¡°Yes. I thought it would be funny. I can get rid of it if you like.¡±

    ¡°No, no that¡¯s okay. You were right. This is hilarious! I like it.¡±

    ¡°I know.¡± Nestra laughed. ¡°That¡¯s why I did it like that.¡±

    I examined the list as we talked. ¡°Wait, so humans have a base of one in ESP? What is that anyway?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s an unquantifiable six sense. Like when you look at a person and they can feel it and look around to see who is watching them. Though your sixth sense is much higher than normal.¡±

    I snorted. ¡°I¡¯ll take it.¡±

    ¡°I know. It¡¯s kinda what you do.¡±

    I rolled my eyes. ¡°What about Nanites? I don¡¯t think anyone else has those,¡± I said.

    ¡°Correct. I put the ten in there as a placeholder number. Those increase your other numbers quite a lot but it also represents a healing factor that your Vitality score doesn¡¯t account for.¡±

    ¡°And Focus? What¡¯s that?¡±

    ¡°Mental energy. You use it when using your superpowers!¡±

    ¡°They aren¡¯t superpowers,¡± I protested.

    ¡°You¡¯re right, I take it back. Nowhere near is as cool as Benedict''s superpowers. But you have quite a lot of genetic material that I can shape.¡±

    ¡°Um, how much? Can you list that?¡±

    ¡°Sure, here. It¡¯s marked as GM,¡± Nestra said.

    <ul>

    <li style="font-weight: 400">GM 8.4</li>

    </ul>

    ¡°Okay¡­ so what can I do with this?¡± I asked.

    ¡°If you didn¡¯t have these nanites or me, you wouldn¡¯t be able to do anything. It would naturally graft to your DNA and change it, making you stronger or faster¡­ like those living on Penbrook. You have me though! I can task the nanites to mold it into anything you like.¡±

    ¡°So I get to pick if I want to be stronger, heal faster, age slower¡­ that kind of thing?¡±

    ¡°Among other things,¡± Nestra said.

    ¡°What other things?¡± I asked.

    ¡°New abilities. Physical changes. Enhancing your force ball or mental powers. Once an ability is known, I can easily adapt this genetic material to make it more powerful or efficient. For example, a little bit of electric eel DNA would be enough to access a lightning ability.¡±

    ¡°Wow. Um, okay. That¡¯s pretty cool. What about invisibility?¡±

    ¡°Unknown. Camouflage would be doable, but I¡¯d suggest caution there. I don¡¯t really think you want to develop fur or feathers.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, no. I¡¯ll pass on that. Back to the stats. So I¡¯m nine times stronger than the average human?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Correct. This baseline is averaged across both men and women.¡±

    ¡°Okay, so I¡¯m probably the strongest human alive, right?¡±

    ¡°There are always outliers, but that isn¡¯t an unreasonable assumption.¡±

    ¡°Right, your data probably doesn¡¯t take into account the people I met on Penbrook.¡±

    ¡°Correct, they are genetically mortified. Like you.¡±

    ¡°Okay, what else¡­ hum¡­ Ah, abilities! What are my options at present?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Without altering your appearance?¡±

    ¡°Naturally,¡± I said.

    ¡°Well, the GM units can be directly changed into stat points. That¡¯s simple enough. Or you could expand your force ball¡¯s power for six GM.¡±

    ¡°How much of an increase are we talking about?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Unclear. There is no data to extrapolate from.¡±

    I pondered Nestra¡¯s words. Fighting still wasn¡¯t really my thing, but those encounters with monsters had been a blast. It was different when fighting monsters than other people, and I found I really enjoyed the challenge. And the thrill.

    ¡°Can I change the GM into nanites?¡± I asked. ¡°You said that buffed most of my stats up, right?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s possible, but the ratio is ten to one. It would be more efficient to bump up your physical stats and have the nanites boost them that way than to increase the Nanite stat itself.¡±

    ¡°Right, but it¡¯s like a multiplier, right?¡±

    ¡°Indeed. It also affects almost all your stats, but most of your inflated stats are a result of the nanobots and nanite treatments, so boosting your body¡¯s stats at this point would be more efficient.¡±

    ¡°Okay then. I¡¯d like to have more control of my mind powers. So I can use them more efficiently and have less mental strain.¡±

    I was already freakishly strong, and three times faster than the average person. I wasn¡¯t sure I was even human anymore, but I didn¡¯t want to be a total freak. My mental powers would objectively speaking make me a freak, but they were hidden. I didn¡¯t have to show those to anyone unless I wanted to.

    ¡°Calculating your request¡­ Okay, how does this look?¡± Nestra asked.

    <ul>

    <li style="font-weight: 400">Strength 9.21 (+0.79) 10</li>

    <li style="font-weight: 400">Reaction 3.10 (+1.9) 5</li>

    <li style="font-weight: 400">Vitality 8.01 (+0.57) 8.58</li>

    <li style="font-weight: 400">Endurance 5.02 (+0.98) 6</li>

    <li style="font-weight: 400">Flexibility 2.32 (+0.68) 3</li>

    <li style="font-weight: 400">Focus 3.01 (+1.99) 5</li>

    <li style="font-weight: 400">ESP 1.51 (+1.49) 3</li>

    <li style="font-weight: 400">Nanites 10.00</li>

    <li style="font-weight: 400">GM 0.00</li>

    </ul>

    ¡°Increasing your reaction and focus will both help with your stated request. As will ESP, but to a much smaller degree.¡±

    ¡°Why do I get the feeling ESP is almost like luck?¡± I asked.

    ¡°I could change it to luck if you¡¯d like.¡±

    I snickered. ¡°No, just leave it.¡± As funny as it would be, it wasn¡¯t luck so I didn¡¯t want to start thinking of it that way.

    ¡°Okay, that looks good. Go ahead and do it.¡±

    ¡°Very well. I suggest you lay down and rest. The process will take a few hours and will take a lot of energy. Don¡¯t forget to eat a big meal first.¡±

    ¡°I think I can manage that, thanks Nestra.¡±

    ¡°Of course. I¡¯ll be here, just hanging out in your head.¡±

    ¡°Wait. I thought I told you not to read my mind when I wasn¡¯t¡ª¡±

    ¡°I literally live in your head, Ginny, but I won¡¯t be reading your thoughts unless advising you on your options, as you requested.¡±

    ¡°Okay.¡± I breathed a little easier. Then I realized I wasn¡¯t breathing at all, it was just in my head. Time had all but stopped in the real world. I closed my eyes, withdrew from the mind space, and drew in a deep breath. It was slightly disorienting coming back from the mind space, but by the time I finished my breath, I was fine. The mind fog still blanketed my thoughts though. I need to eat. Right. I got up and headed for the galley.

    ¡°I¡¯m going to eat, Bob.¡± I decided not to mention Nestra yet. I wasn¡¯t sure how I felt about having an AI in my head that controlled the nanites in my body yet, and confronting Bob about it while my mind was foggy wasn¡¯t happening. Besides, I kinda liked Nestra. Her explanation of why she was lying to me made sense. I also suspected that Bob didn¡¯t know about the AI at all.

    The whole stats thing still cracked me up too. I could finally see just how much of an edge I had on other people too.

    I tucked into my meal and then went back to bed. Maybe the next time I woke up, I¡¯d be a little more functional.

 Chapter 27

    I scanned my stats. Just thinking about them made me snicker. Nestra was a hoot. Maybe having an AI in my head wasn¡¯t so bad. The whole reading my mind thing was freaky, but I¡¯d had some rest and time to process. It wasn¡¯t that bad now that I saw how it worked. She was a slavedriver though, I¡¯d been working out daily and pushing my body to the max.

    I still hadn¡¯t mentioned her to Bob yet. Keeping secrets was a habit for me, and even though I knew my brain couldn¡¯t be hacked, thinking about the AI in my head made me uneasy.

    Shadow Hunter was still en route to Prince of Wales, and Star Hammer had deduced our destination and was in pursuit. My smaller ship was faster and we¡¯d arrive with plenty of time to top off our consumables, refill our water tanks, and ultimately leave before they could catch us, or so Bob assured me. I still worried. At least when I had time.

    Like a whisper, Nestra¡¯s thoughts brushed my mind. Why have you stopped? You need to do seventeen more situps.

    I sighed heavily and slipped out of my mind. She was so pushy. I wiped my brow, crossed my arms over my chest with my hands on my shoulders, and ground out the remaining sit-ups. The increased gravity in my workout room made them far more difficult, a necessity if I was to put a strain on my enhanced body.

    ¡°Happy now?¡± I muttered.

    Yes, I¡¯m quite pleased with your progress. Now the pull-ups. Three hundred should suffice to establish a new baseline.

    I wiped my face with a towel. Nestra didn¡¯t seem to understand the concepts of breaks. I drank plenty of water and got to it. There wasn¡¯t much to do on a spaceship by yourself. Soon my arms were burning and I struggled to finish the unreasonable number of pull-ups.

    Nestra¡¯s pushy whispers motivated me and I pushed through. Even my legs felt like jello after I finished. I staggered as I released the bar, my chest heaving as I tried to breathe.

    ¡°Time for some food,¡± I declared before Nestra could come up with something else unreasonable for me to try. ¡°I need some serious calories.¡±

    Bob¡¯s voice sounded from the overhead speakers. ¡°Shall I prepare a protein shake for you? Its composition is ideal for¡ª¡±

    ¡°No! I screamed.

    If I never drank another protein mix shake, it would be too soon.

    Nestra¡¯s tinkling laugh sounded in my mind. He¡¯s not wrong, you know. I¡¯d recommend¡ª

    I cut her thought off with a firm refusal and retorted to Bob. ¡°I¡¯m eating a real meal, with real food, and if you try to get between me and my food, I¡¯ll bite you.¡± Most of that was for Nestra, but I didn¡¯t appreciate Bob¡¯s snarkiness when it came to my food. That was a blasphemy I wasn¡¯t going to indulge. Food was sacred to one who¡¯d grown up on the streets and gone hungry more often than not. Nobody came between me and my food.

    Nestra tracked my calorie intake and started meal planning for optimal efficiency. I let her make her meal plan, I¡¯d just ignore it later when I wanted a sweet treat or something. I had depleted my body''s stored energy and was still extremely lean. The nanites had made even my fat cells more efficient at storing energy.

    My stats weren¡¯t anything more than a guideline, right now, for example, if I tried to lift what my stats indicated I could lift, my exhausted state would prevent me from doing so. Adrenaline might bypass my exhaustion, but they were simply a way to track my progress.

    After giving my food time to settle, I continued my workout. The days passed and my food stores shrunk.

    ¡°I¡¯m going to need to recalculate how much food I need. I¡¯m consuming it at an alarming rate.¡±

    Yup, you¡¯re a hog. Nestra¡¯s voice whispered in the back of my mind.

    ¡°Not helpful,¡± I muttered.

    ¡°Did you say something, Ginny?¡± Bob asked.

    ¡°No,¡± I replied as I headed for my quarters. It was after dinner and I wanted to change into something a bit more relaxing and get a shower. ¡°Just thinking.¡±

    Liar, Nestra whispered.

    ¡°Shut up.¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t say anything,¡± Bob said.

    I felt a headache coming on. I facepalmed. With a sigh, I came clean. ¡°I was talking to Nestra, Bob. The AI in my head.¡±

    There was a long silence. ¡°My voice analyzers seem to be malfunctioning, Captain. Did you say AI?¡±

    ¡°Yes. She was thrown in as a package deal with the nanites,¡± I said. ¡°Wasn¡¯t sure how to tell you.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Ginny¡­¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s fine, Bob. Not your fault and my fears were alleviated after seeing how the security on this works. No one will ever be hacking this AI or my brain, I¡¯m the only person who could even try, and I¡¯m sure I could think of an easier way to commit suicide if I wanted to.¡±

    We talked as I entered my room and flopped onto my bed. ¡°Go ahead and say hello, Nestra.¡±

    How?

    ¡°Oh. Right. She can¡¯t actually interface with you, Bob.¡±

    I realized that probably wasn¡¯t strictly true and dove into my mind. I used my mental powers to link with the ship and since Nestra was in my brain, she was able to see everything I was.

    Try now, Nestra, I thought to the AI.

    What followed was almost too fast to track but my enhanced mind managed. The two AIs traded information and I was relieved to note that Nestra shared nothing personal from my mind. Every memory and thought was open to her but none of that was shared. I trusted Bob and didn¡¯t mind if he knew about my past, but Nestra knew it wasn¡¯t her place to share those things and the last knot of worry about her faded from my mind.

    Thank you, I thought, and I sensed an odd disconnect between the mental feelings of being hugged and the lack of it in reality. Still, it was the thought that counts. At that moment, Nestra and I became friends. We got each other. She was glad to have another AI to converse with. I hadn¡¯t really thought about it before, but she must have felt incredibly isolated all alone in my head.Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

    Let me know if you need anything, I whispered my thoughts back to her. I didn¡¯t want her to go crazy. There was enough crazy with just me in there, I didn¡¯t need her adding more.

    While Bob and Nestra got acquainted, I worked on the mental exercises Nestra wanted me to do. It was good practice holding my focus with my mental powers while working on sudoku puzzles.

    The evening passed and my mental energy drained away. Nestra was overly chipper that night when I went to bed, happy to have made a new friend. You lucky girl, if only you knew what most people were like. Maybe she did, given she was in my head, but it was totally different to experience something firsthand as opposed to just hearing about it. Bob was becoming a great friend though and I was happy they could meet without anything blowing up in my face.

    * * *

    The old renovated space station orbited a barren moon. The moon was unsuitable for a colony given the earthquakes and volcanic eruptions that went on frequently there. The moon drifted on the edge of a planetary system with several asteroid fields and two gas giants. It was perfect for a launch point for colony ships heading future out, however, that dream had never taken place.

    When the Triv were discovered, any expansion into their sphere of influence was permanently canceled. The station was repurposed.

    The Prince of Wales space traffic controller sent an automated message with instructions on their procedures. I skimmed the information. Not finding any changes from what I expected, I called the station up for docking clearance. My ID transponder was running and I expected no complications.

    ¡°Welcome to Prince of Wales, Captain Amerson.¡± I was using my Ginny Amerson ID. ¡°How can I help you today?¡±

    ¡°Thank you, I need clearance for docking.¡±

    There was a pause. ¡°Our mid-size ship berths are full at the moment.¡±

    I considered my options. After some thought, I shrugged. It didn¡¯t really matter. I¡¯ll just take the transport. I groaned as I realized I still hadn¡¯t named it yet. They would want a name. Meh, it¡¯s got an ID number, it will be fine.

    I pulled up the information on the transport and sent it to the traffic controller. ¡°I have a small transport I¡¯ll use. You should be receiving the details.¡±

    ¡°Got them. I¡¯m not familiar with this model but the dimensions look fine. Will you be doing any trading?¡±

    ¡°I need some consumables,¡± I told him.

    ¡°Very well, I can put you on the B deck. That will put you close to what you need. Save you some trouble.¡±

    My eyes narrowed. What¡¯s his angle? I let out a breath and relaxed. Play nice, Ginny. ¡°Thank you, that sounds wonderful.¡±

    The details were quickly finalized and I got ready to leave. Bob could look after Shadow Hunter in case the Triv showed up.

    I took my feet off the counsel and looked up at the ceiling. ¡°Alright Bob, I¡¯m heading out. Let me know if¡ª¡± An explosion rocked the ship.

    ¡°What the heck was that?¡± I demanded.

    Something else exploded, nearly knocking me off my feet.

    ¡°The port engine power junction overloaded, Captain.¡±

    ¡°How? We just repaired that!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m attempting to determine that now, Captain. In addition, when the overload occurred, the surge blew the containment field on the engine and it exploded, several rooms were breached and open to space.¡±

    I cursed. ¡°Did someone sabotage it?¡±

    ¡°RB units are examining the damage now, it will be a few minutes before they have finished investigating.¡±

    The station was hailing me once again. I rubbed my forehead. ¡°Why can¡¯t we ever seem to catch a break? I angrily answered the call. ¡°Yeah? Captain Amrson here.¡±

    ¡°Our sensors detected an explosion aboard your vessel. Do you require assistance?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll let you know. No one was injured, but we¡¯re still investigating the damage.¡±

    ¡°Give us a call if you need anything.¡±

    ¡°Will, do, thanks.¡± I ended the call.

    I pulled on my war suit and sealed it, then headed down to check on the damage myself. There was no way anyone could be aboard with Bob watching everything all the time, but I wasn¡¯t taking any chances. The RB units set up a temporary airlock and I cycled through.

    ¡°Captain, preliminary reports show no sign of sabotage,¡± Bob informed me.

    ¡°If it wasn¡¯t sabotage, then what was it?¡± Now I had even more questions.

    Arby walked over to me, his blank metallic face staring at me for several long seconds before he found the right radio frequency to speak with me.

    ¡°Captain, the replacement parts we installed experienced a catastrophic malfunction.¡±

    ¡°What are you saying? How? It was brand new!¡± I tried not to take my frustration out on poor Arby, he was still my buddy and not programmed for more than the most basic human interactions. He was a repair bot, nothing more.

    ¡°We detected numerous impurities in the steel the components were made from.¡±

    I stared at him for almost five seconds before I grasped what he was saying. ¡°Cheap steel?¡± I glared up at the ceiling and shouted. ¡°Bob! Why the heck didn¡¯t the material processor filter out the impurities?¡±

    My anger built as I waited for a response. Cheap freakin¡¯ steel! I knew the material processor could take scrap and repurpose it, getting rid of everything that wasn¡¯t suitable. There was absolutely no reason for this to have happened.

    ¡°I apologize, Captain. I tested the first batch of steel we ran through the processor. It was high-quality steel. Everything looked good, so I had the material processor skip the quality checks after that. I¡¯ve traced the defective parts to steel retrieved from destroyed SB tanks and vehicles.¡± Bob paused. ¡°I never considered a country might have such poor quality control measures for their military arms factories.¡±

    I was still mad, but right now wasn¡¯t the time to vent we had more pressing concerns. ¡°How many other parts are at risk of failure?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m scanning the data available, but I¡¯m afraid the RB unit will need to check everything, just in case I missed something.¡±

    ¡°Is the rest of the ship safe?¡± I asked.

    ¡°I¡¯ve begun powering down all non-critical systems that I can, and have directed the bots to begin their maintenance checkup of the critical systems. We should have a pretty good idea of what we need to fix in a few hours.¡±

    ¡°Do we have the needed materials to replace everything we need to?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Yes, we can reprocess the defective parts and remove the impurities. The rest can be made up using what we have in our cargo bay.¡±

    ¡°Okay.¡± I breathed. ¡°Fine.¡± I took another breath. Let it go, Ginny. It was an honest mistake. I¡¯d just got my home working properly, and now this. I kept a tight rein on my anger. It can be fixed. It will be alright. ¡°Is the transport spaceworthy?¡±

    ¡°Yes Captain,¡± Bob replied.

    ¡°Fine. Get things fixed. I¡¯m going to head over to the station. Send me a list of anything we need once you have a tally.¡± I was too worked up to sit around, I¡¯d definitely be snapping at Bob or someone if I didn¡¯t have something to do. It would be best if I distracted myself. It wasn¡¯t that big of a deal. It could have happened in the hyperway. God only knows what would have happened if the engine exploded there!

    ¡°I¡¯ll see to the repairs, Captain.¡±

    I didn¡¯t respond. I stopped by my quarters to change into something more comfortable and grabbed a few things, then marched to the transport. In most cases leaving your problems behind and expecting them to fix themselves wasn¡¯t advisable, but that was precisely what I was going to do. Bob could deal with it.

    ¡°It¡¯s fine Bob, just get it fixed,¡± I was still mad, but I forced myself to say it. Bob was one of my only friends and he didn¡¯t deserve the silent treatment, even if it was his fault.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Captain. It won¡¯t happen again.¡±

    ¡°Look after the ship,¡± I said, then boarded the transport and strapped in. I leaned my head back and sighed heavily. Get over it. It¡¯s time to check this station out. Maybe I can find some sleazeball to scam. That would go a long way toward improving my mood. Now I just had to hope we could get everything fixed before the Triv showed up. That was not a fight we could win if our engines were out. Our shields could stop their energy weapons cold, but their missiles were another story.

 Chapter 28

    The artificial voice from the overhead speakers echoed through the wide-open hallway.

    ¡°Welcome to the Prince of Wales research and trading hub. Enjoy your stay.¡± The voice droned on about various resorts, parks, and other attractions the station''s management was proud of, hoping to entice visitors to part with their money.

    Despite the station¡¯s age, the place looked well-maintained on the surface. There was a modern gleam to things, and the place was clean, giving the station a refined look at first glance. I could see the signs of aging beneath the surface but the overall feel of the place was welcoming and optimistic.

    Flashing lights on colorful screens drew the eye, hoping to draw people into the shops along the concourse. I ignored the ads and headed for one of the information terminals. There was a small line of people waiting to use them but the row of terminals shortened the wait time immensely.

    I could just hack it, I thought as I waited in line behind a towering bald dude who had an extremely good relationship with pop and junk food. My eyes scanned the other people moving about, instinctively picking out the surveillance and security devices.

    A punk kid with a blonde-white spiked mohawk and dark brown roots scanned the crowd suspiciously as he sauntered along. He had ridiculous pants hanging off his hips threatening to trip him up, and several chains hanging from his pockets and neck. I snorted at the sight. Trip hazard, choke hazard, and excessive weight. He thought he was cool and clearly was up to no good.

    I wished him luck, he needed it to make up for his lack of skill. The ridiculous hair was blatant and stood out. What if he had to make a run for it? Security would have no trouble identifying him on the cameras. It was practically a name tag and memorable to boot. I pegged him as a fool, but maybe the security people were paid to look the other way.

    Mr. Junkfood moved to a terminal and I finished my sweep of the area. A much more subtle pickpocket was working the area, he kept his face away from the cameras and wore nondescript clothing. Much better. But tattoos? Come on dude, you were so close.

    There were quite a few wealthy travelers here. Most people who could afford to travel though wouldn¡¯t be carrying cash in their pockets. Their credentials though, IDs, and the information on their cards could be even more valuable. Scammers and hackers were quite cunning, but I preferred the hands-on approach of breaking and entering. The thrill was more intense than just sitting at a computer, but I acknowledged their skill, even if the spam mail was annoying.

    My turn at the terminals came and I walked up and got to work. It only took me a minute to download a map and highlight the businesses I was looking for. There were dozens of Inventory Manager services. True to the traffic controller''s word, the majority of them were clustered very close to where I¡¯d docked.

    I copied the web links for the services to my wrist computer and moved out of the way for the next person before I skimmed through the reviews and picked Market Price. They had a high customer service rating and had a reputation for being punctual. With Shadow Hunter damaged, I didn¡¯t want to be waiting around for supplies. I had the Triv breaking down my neck and wanted to be gone before they arrived. The last encounter with the Triv had dispelled many of my worries about their technology, but they came rushing back as soon as my ship broke down. Don¡¯t even get me started on their Enforces! There was definitely some trauma where they were concerned. From when they hauled me around like a helpless sack of potatoes and from fighting them in Shadow Hunter¡¯s hanger. Even watching one of them suffocate to death had left a mark.

    I needed a distraction. A good-looking man around my age was standing nearby. I edged closer to him. ¡°Hey, do you know of a good bar around here?¡± I asked.

    He looked up from his electronic device and did a double-take when he saw me. ¡°Me?¡± he asked. He cleared his throat. ¡°Are you talking to me?¡±

    I smiled and nodded. ¡°Yeah! I¡¯ve got some errands to run but I could use a drink.¡±

    ¡°Um, right. Do you like dancing? There is a high-class nightclub in the middle ring. I can get you in if you are interested.¡±

    It did sound fun, but I wasn¡¯t looking for a date, and while I did enjoy dancing, time was an issue. ¡°As fun, as that sounds, I¡¯m on a deadline. Just want to relax and unwind, ya know?¡±

    He nodded knowingly. ¡°Stressful trip?¡±

    I shrugged. ¡°Not particularly. Just had some engine trouble I have to deal with.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m Howard Moss.¡± He extended his hand.

    ¡°Ginny.¡±

    ¡°Ginny¡­?¡±

    I looked away. Maybe talking to this guy wasn¡¯t such a good idea. ¡°Well, I¡¯m sure I¡¯ll find a place, thanks anyway.¡±

    ¡°Hey, hold up!¡± he called as I started walking away. ¡°I know another place. It¡¯s just down the concourse a bit. I¡¯ll buy.¡±

    ¡°Like I said, I have some errands to run first. Thanks though.¡±

    ¡°Oh come on, it will be fun. You can run your errands later!¡± He grinned.

    I gave him my blank face and kept walking.

    ¡°You know, I have connections around here, I could get you some free repairs for your engine.¡±

    I looked over, he was still walking next to me. What a jerk. Why do I always attract such annoying guys? Bah, it¡¯s my own fault this time, Ginny, you engaged with him. I sighed and kept walking.

    ¡°Hey! Didn¡¯t you hear me? I said¡ª¡±

    ¡°I also heard everything you didn¡¯t say,¡± I cut him off, still trying to be polite, but I was totally done indulging him. ¡°And I¡¯m not interested.¡±

    ¡°You didn¡¯t even give me a chance.¡±

    ¡°I wasn¡¯t looking for a date!¡±

    ¡°Then why did you ask me where you could find a bar?¡± he demanded, his anger seeping into his voice. Other travelers glanced over at his raised tone.

    I opened my mouth to explain, he was about my age, so I figured he¡¯d know of a good place, instead of saying that though, my polite meter went up in flames and I lost control of my tongue. ¡°You¡¯re right, I was being an idiot. I shouldn¡¯t have bothered. How silly of me.¡± I shook my head and rolled my eyes.

    ¡°You asked! I answered,¡± he snapped.

    ¡°You¡¯ve been so helpful,¡± I retorted. ¡°Thanks for nothing.¡±

    ¡°I offered you free repairs for your ship, you bitch!¡±

    ¡°Why are you still following me?¡± I demanded.

    This guy was really filling up the creep meter. He was arrogant, demanding, and a total jerk when he didn¡¯t get his way. I was so glad I hadn¡¯t given him my name.

    ¡°You think I¡¯m just going to let you walk away, after insulting me?¡± he growled.

    I stopped and glared at him, my hands on my hips. ¡°Oh? Do you think you own me or something? Do you want to fight? Well, go on Mr. Mossy, make a move!¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s Moss,¡± he said, his voice low and dangerous.

    I snorted and turned to go. The fool reached out and grabbed my arm. His hand clamped down, hard. ¡°You¡¯re not going anywhere.¡±The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.

    I pivoted and slapped him across the face. His hand didn¡¯t release me so I stepped toward him. While he was distracted by the face slap, I drove my knee into his groin. I tempered my strength to avoid permanent damage but he dropped to his knees all the same. His hand finally released my arm and I turned and walked off as he gasped for breath.

    ¡°I sure hope that idiot isn¡¯t going to cause me any more trouble,¡± I muttered.

    Now I really needed a drink.

    I shook my head as I walked off. With the creepy stalker guy dealt with, I headed for Market Price to take care of my business. Drinks would have to wait.

    The sliding doors opened and a bell chimed. A woman about my age looked up and smiled.

    ¡°Hello, can I help you?¡± she inquired.

    I forced my ill mood away and smiled. ¡°I hope so! I¡¯m looking to stock up on consumables for my ship.¡±

    ¡°Do you have an account with us?¡± she asked.

    ¡°No, I¡¯m just passing through.¡±

    Her smile widened. ¡°If you set up an account with us, I can get you fifteen percent off your first purchase, and for all purchases after that, we give a two percent discount.¡±

    ¡°Huh. Okay,¡± I said. I shared my information and she punched it into the computer.

    I wanted plenty of food given how fast I was going through it. There were loads of options so it took some time to make my choices. I didn¡¯t forget to stock up on beer either. Not that I was much of a drinker when I was alone but some days I just needed a drink. I picked up some snack items as well and then blew a large chunk of my funds on medical drugs. They were not cheap, and the remote location only inflated the price even more.

    They sold stock materials for 3D printers so after checking with Bob and finding ones that would work, I bought several pallets worth of synthetic materials for clothing, towels, rugs, sheets, and whatever other fabric items I might need. It was easier to just print out what I wanted instead of purchasing it already made up. The cost wasn¡¯t much more either. I got myself plenty of soap and shampoo, lotion, and other cosmetics.

    The bill when I finished made me wince, but thanks to the Triv I had the funds. Thinking about how infuriated the jerk who¡¯d supplanted the Triv Captain on the dreadnought would be if he knew what I was doing with his bonds made me grin.

    I thanked the woman for her help, she¡¯d been helpful and courteous. I verified she had the correct docking bay for my order and then headed for the door. I was just exiting Market Price when four security personnel closed in around me.

    ¡°Halt!¡± one of them ordered.

    The smile slipped from my face. They had their hands on their weapons, ready to draw.

    ¡°Me?¡± I asked, pointing at my chest. ¡°Is there a problem?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re under arrest for assault.¡±

    I couldn¡¯t help but laugh. ¡°Is this some kind of a joke? I¡¯d like to see some ID.¡±

    Looking at the group I couldn¡¯t tell if they were security or thugs. I hope all the security personnel around here aren¡¯t this bad. I tapped my wrist computer and called station security.

    ¡°What are you doing?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m calling security.¡±

    ¡°Stop!¡± the man closest to me said. He stalked forward and grabbed my arm.

    ¡°Ow! Let go of me,¡± I cried, playing it up. His grip while strong for a normal person felt weak to me.

    ¡°I just want to verify you guys are the proper authorities, what are you¡ª¡± I broke off as he punched me in the gut.

    ¡°I said stop!¡± he snapped.

    ¡°Resisting arrest,¡± one of the others said.

    ¡°Yup. I saw it plain as day. She took a swing at you!¡±

    ¡°Better incapacitate her,¡± another said with a dark laugh.

    He pulled out his baton and triggered it. A spark arced between the studs on the tip.

    ¡°She¡¯s a real looker. We¡¯re going to have some fun with you,¡± the one squeezing my arm said.

    I straightened up. ¡°Oh, heck no!¡± I said. Then I twisted my wrist free and latched onto his wrist. I stomped on the dude''s foot to distract him and then slammed my forehead into his nose. I felt it crunch and jerked my head back to avoid getting my hair bloody.

    I then used his arm as a lever and threw him at his buddies. I didn¡¯t have the body mass to get him off the ground, but he was far too focused on the pain to resist the force of my pull. He slammed into two of his buddies and they all went down in a tangled heap.

    The fourth man cursed and went for his sidearm. I stepped toward him and went for a below-the-belt special. Unfortunately, this guy was quite familiar with that move and he liked his family jewels as is. He stepped back with his left foot, turning his body to avoid my attack. I grimaced but it mattered little. I lunged forward and as I landed I grabbed hold of his armored vest. Then I jerked him forward and drove my knee into his gut.

    The air exploded from his lungs in a rush as he doubled over. I clapped his ears with my hands and then shoved him hard in the direction of his friends. I had no real hand-to-hand training, so I was just winging it. My speed and strength more than made up for my lack of skills though. I delivered a snap kick to one of the other guys and he hit the ground unconscious. I winced, hoping I hadn¡¯t snapped his neck or something.

    I heard the tell-tale sound of a snapping shock baton and jumped back as one of the men on his knees swung the baton. He regained his feet along with his buddy. His buddy had blood draining from his shattered nose. The one whose ears I¡¯d clapped was still on his hands and needs, and was acting drunk.

    The second man went for his pistol as he cursed me. ¡°You¡¯re going to regret that!¡±

    Yeah, he needed a lot of soap for his foul mouth. What a jerk! What right do you have to get mad when you threaten to rape me? I didn¡¯t bother asking him. He was clearly an idiot.

    The baton wielder swung again and I jumped forward tackling him to the ground. With a quick jerk, I disarmed him and shocked his buddy. His entire body locked up, jolting around and then when I withdrew the baton, he dropped to the ground like a limp noodle. Soiling himself in the process.

    ¡°What a mess,¡± I recoiled.

    The distraction gave the man beneath me time to grab my throat and he proceeded to try to choke me. I have to confess. It surprised me and it hurt. I panicked a little as I couldn¡¯t breathe. I flailed and smacked at his arms, something gave and he screamed. I kept swinging, and several blows later he wasn¡¯t screaming anymore. I rolled away from him and in a crouch paused to catch my breath.

    I was never in any real danger of being choked out, but my hand went to my neck anyway, it was tender and I was sure I¡¯d have bruises there. The man who was responsible looked to have a broken arm and his face was bruised and bloody. He wasn¡¯t going to be looking too good once the bruises changed color.

    I cursed and got to my feet. Aside from my throat, I was no worse for wear, but I had blood on my shirt and hands. I glanced at my wrist computer and noticed it was still connected to the station security people. I hoped these people weren¡¯t their guys.

    ¡°H-hello? Anyone there?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Who is this?¡± they asked.

    I was surprised they didn¡¯t know and I certainly didn¡¯t think it smart to identify myself just yet, at least not until I figured out what was going on.

    ¡°I¡¯m sending you some images,¡± I said, capturing images of the men''s faces. ¡°These people attacked me and planned to rape me. Can you identify them?¡±

    ¡°I need you to identify yourself, ma¡¯am.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯d rather remain anonymous,¡± I said. ¡°They claimed to be with station security, and I was calling to see if that was true when they attacked me. They were going to hurt me and claim I was resisting arrest. Then they started talking like they were going to do more than that. Can you ID them for me?¡± I asked as I pulled their wallets and ID cards from their pockets.

    I grimaced as I checked their IDs. All of them were station security. Why can¡¯t anything ever be easy? I ground my teeth together. The IDs could be fakes, but I didn¡¯t think so. They had the gear which looked the same as what I¡¯d seen before and worse, they each had a thick wad of cash on them. I considered taking it but decided to leave it. Maybe they were a minority and it would incriminate them.

    The man on the call was getting rather insistent that I identified myself and had stopped answering my questions anyway. All he seemed to want to know was where and who I was. I hung up. No cameras were covering this area so it would take them at least a few minutes to track their people down.

    I disabled the security thugs'' electronics so they couldn¡¯t trace those and then slipped into the station''s network as I left the area. I needed to stay hidden but that was easy when I could subvert their surveillance. I ducked into a public bathroom, washed up, and then hurried on.

    I made a quick call to Bob. ¡°I¡¯m in a little bit of trouble. How soon will the repairs be finished?¡±

    ¡°What happened, Ginny? Are you alright?¡± Bob asked. ¡°I¡¯ll send a pair of WMDs to your location.¡±

    ¡°What? No! No. Wait, just slow down. I¡¯m fine.¡± The last thing I needed was a pair of war droids blasting up the place. ¡°I am laying low for now. How soon can we leave?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m afraid the damage was worse than we thought. Arby and the other RB units are working on it but my estimate is sixteen hours. The entire engine housing is shot and we are printing new parts as quickly as we can. The real delay however is pulling out the damaged engine housing and assembling the new one. The part is too big to print in one piece and will need to be welded together very precisely and then maneuvered into place. I have the SB and WMDs helping where they can.¡±

    I pinched my nose and took a breath before responding. ¡°Okay, keep working on it. I¡¯ll¡­ I¡¯ll be fine. Just get the ship fixed.¡±

    ¡°Very well, Ginny. If you need anything, please let me know.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, recall my transport and then call Market Price and see if you can have them deliver my order to the Shadow Hunter instead of my docking bay.¡±

    ¡°But Captain, how will you get back to the ship then?¡±

    ¡°You can pick me up when the time comes,¡± I said. ¡°I don¡¯t want them impounding my ship if they figure out who I am.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll be standing by for your call.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll patch you into their systems so you can monitor things for me.¡± I smiled. Compared to being trapped on the Triv dreadnought, this should be easy. I had a whole station to play around with and the opposition was far less dangerous. I found myself smirking as I headed for a clothing store to get something less conspicuous. Yeah, this was going to be fun.

 Chapter 29

    My new outfit wasn¡¯t exactly inconspicuous. The closest store had a wide selection of options, the problem was all of them were expensive clubbing attire. I had settled on a red mini skirt and a bright pink tank top that said Girl Power across the chest. It failed to come down far enough to cover my midriff. A two-inch gap of skin was left showing. I had a pair of short shorts on under the mini-skirt, but I was still showing off most of my legs. As I said, not the most inconspicuous.

    I had a solution though. I¡¯d just go clubbing! The last place station security would look for me was in a nightclub, right? I didn¡¯t have any cosmetics and my hair was kind of a mess so I just let it down and hoped it wouldn¡¯t look out of place. I left the store behind and followed my map to a club nearby. I got a lot of looks. Maybe I should have risked finding a proper clothes store.

    I smirked at a pair of men around my age who couldn¡¯t take their eyes off me. Yeah, it was kinda nice having that effect on guys. The slogan on my shirt was fitting. I reached the club and there was a long line to get in. I shook my head and cut the line, walking right up to the bouncer I stopped.

    He scowled at me. ¡°I don¡¯t know you. Back of the line, lady.¡±

    ¡°How much?¡± I shouted, it was the only way to be heard over the music when the door was open.

    ¡°It¡¯s not a matter of money¡­¡± he trailed off as I waved several hundred credit bills in front of his face. I counted out ten of them and held them up for him.

    ¡°Head on in,¡± he said, taking my money and stepping to the side.

    I grinned up at him and he smiled back. ¡°Thanks!¡± patted him on the arm and walked inside. The music was like a physical force, I could feel it in my chest and the air hummed with vibrations. The smell of sweaty bodies and boos hit my nose and I breathed deeply as I centered myself amidst the chaos. I made for the bar for a drink and quickly got served. Waving high-end bills around had that effect. I sipped my drink as I scanned the crowd. The place was full, but not packed. The place was big enough to hold hundreds of people though.

    I had a couple of chatty men come up to me, but with the music blaring, talking was right out. They asked if I wanted to dance, but I wasn¡¯t ready for that yet. I just pointed to my drink and smiled. ¡°Maybe later!¡±

    They were able to read my lips enough to get my meaning and moved off to try their luck with the next pretty girl who caught their eye. There were a lot of them to choose from. The mix of men and women was pretty even from what I could tell. I kept a close eye on my drink until it was gone and then walked over to a guy who was by himself at a table. I held out my hand, not even trying to talk. He seemed surprised for a moment and then smiled and took my hand. We danced a few dances before someone else cut in, I waved and smiled and then was onto the next dance. It was hard to keep my movements under control with the energy in the room. The music got me going and I could knock these people''s socks off if I went all out.

    I enjoyed a few hours of dancing before I took a break. The physical activity and press of bodies on the dance floor generated a lot of heat. I was slick with sweat and ready for a few cold drinks. I had several guys try to buy me drinks but I knew better than to accept. I got my own and guarded it carefully.

    ¡°Can I sit here?¡± someone asked.

    I glanced over and took in the new arrival''s face. He looked normal enough, no creeper vibes were going off so I nodded.

    ¡°You look nice! Want to get out of here? Go somewhere quieter?¡±

    I wasn¡¯t sure I¡¯d heard him right. Leave here? With him? He hadn¡¯t even introduced himself yet and already he was trying to get me to go home with him. Did I look like the kinda girl to just go off with the first guy to ask? I glanced down at my shirt. Okay, maybe a little but still! The guy wasn¡¯t even trying to engage in small talk. Granted the music made that hard. I shook my head. Maybe he thought I was already drunk. I¡¯d never been a lightweight and now I wondered if I even could get drunk. I dipped into my mind space.

    ¡°Hey Nestra, got a question for ya.¡±

    ¡°Can you get drunk?¡± she replied. ¡°Nope. Not unless you want to, but it would still take some effort!¡±

    ¡°Um,¡± I scowled. ¡°What did I say about reading my mind?¡±

    ¡°Her perfect little mouth made a perfect O. ¡°Oops. I forgot.¡±

    ¡°Liar.¡±

    She blushed. I mean she was an AI projection in my mind, did it really matter? The point was she pretended to be embarrassed. She gave me an impish grin. ¡°I¡¯ll try not to read your brain but I get bored sometimes. This place is pretty exciting though! That guy wants to have sex with you.¡±

    I groaned. ¡°I know. You don¡¯t have to tell me.¡±

    She cocked her head. ¡°Ah, too on the nose? I see, we don¡¯t talk about that. Got it! I won¡¯t mention sex anymore.¡±

    ¡°Thanks,¡± I said dryly.

    ¡°You should probably get back to it. Much longer and your delay might be noticeable.¡±

    ¡°Okay, you behave.¡±

    ¡°Bye, Ginny!¡± the little girl waved.

    ¡°Bye, Nestra.¡±

    I blinked and took a sip of my drink. Another dude, and I mean Dude with a capital D sat down. He was a hunk and had a perfect smile, dimples and all. Wow, what a looker. I found myself checking him out.

    ¡°Grant Shandler!¡± he said, offering his hand to shake. ¡°Pleasure to meet you!¡±

    I returned his smile and gingerly shook his hand. He had rough calluses that told me he was a working man but dang if he didn¡¯t clean up nice.

    ¡°Ginny!¡± I called back.

    ¡°What?¡± he leaned closer and I was pretty sure it wasn¡¯t an attempt to look down my shirt.

    ¡°Ginny!¡± I said louder as I leaned back.

    ¡°Want to go somewhere quieter? They have pool tables in the back!¡± he hollered back.

    A particularly loud song was playing but I didn¡¯t need to hear him, my lip-reading skills were pretty good. Pool sounded fun and with his guy? Yes, please! He was nice to look at. Nothing more was going to happen, but I was here to lay low and hide. Less chance someone would see me if I was in the back room.

    ¡°Sure!¡± I drained the rest of my drink and stood. He hurried to stand and grinned. He slid my chair back in once I¡¯d stood and placed a hand on my shoulder as he leaned close.

    ¡°The pool rooms are over there, see the sign?¡±

    I wasn¡¯t that short, but given the crowd, it did take me a second to see it. I nodded and he led the way. Grant Shandler was a big guy. He was tall and had broad shoulders. He didn¡¯t force his way through the crowd but he did clear a path for me.Stolen story; please report.

    ¡°Do you need another drink?¡± he asked.

    I shook my head, my loose hair fell over my shoulder. ¡°I¡¯m good!¡±

    We entered the door in the back and when it closed behind me, the noise level was drastically reduced. They had some very good soundproofing!

    ¡°Ah, that¡¯s better.¡± Grant chuckled.

    The room wasn¡¯t empty. There were half a dozen pool tables and most of them were in use.

    ¡°If you change your mind, you can order a drink or food over there at the console,¡± he said.

    It was a self-serve machine and the order would be delivered automatically. No staff required.

    He led me over to one of the pool tables that was open. ¡°I¡¯ll pay for the first game, then the loser pays. Deal?¡±

    ¡°You better keep your wallet handy,¡± I said with a grin.

    ¡°Oh? You think you¡¯re going to beat me?¡± he grinned back. ¡°Challenge accepted!¡±

    ¡°Do you want any special rules, maybe a handicap or something to make it more even?¡±

    He laughed. ¡°Let''s play a game first, I¡¯d like to see what you can do.¡±

    I grinned. ¡°Oh, I¡¯ll show you what I can do, mister.¡± I was pretty confident I would win. I had played enough to know I was decent and since being enhanced my fine motor control along with everything was just better. Plotting the trajectory, spin, angle, and force needed would be so simple for Nestra and I¡¯d totally cheat a bit if necessary. She was part of me now, so was it really cheating? No. I submit that it was not.

    We flipped a coin and Grant went first. I readied my cue stick for my turn and stood to the side smirking as he broke. A loud crack sounded and the game began.

    ¡°Ha! Look at that,¡± he said, having pocketed a pair of balls on the break.

    He then proceeded to sink every single one of his balls and then the eight ball. He looked over at me and smirked. I wasn¡¯t smirking anymore. ¡°Looks like I won!¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t even get a turn,¡± I protested.

    He¡¯d performed what¡¯s called a break and run, sinking all his balls and then the eight ball. I planted my hands on my hips and glared.

    He just laughed. ¡°Loser breaks,¡± he said.

    ¡°Darn right!¡± I said as we reset the table. I wasn¡¯t nearly as confident as before, but I figured I¡¯d just do what he did. I lined up my shot and took my time. I visualized what I wanted to happen and then took my shot. I grinned as the cue ball stopped almost dead center on the table. The rest of the balls were spread out nicely and I had plenty of options.

    ¡°Oh dear, what should I hit next, I can¡¯t decide, there are so many options.¡±

    He laughed. ¡°It was a great shot!¡±

    I snorted and then sank all my balls. I went with solids since they were lined up better. The eight ball fell into the pocket last and I grinned over at him. ¡°Looks like I win!¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s one to one. Best out of three!¡±

    ¡°Oh no!¡± I protested. ¡°You broke first so that¡¯s not fair.¡±

    He laughed. ¡°You¡¯re pretty good.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re not bad yourself!¡±

    ¡°How are we going to make this fair? If we both break and run each time I¡¯ll win because I went first.¡±

    ¡°Stripes or solids. Pick one,¡± I said.

    ¡°Stripes.¡±

    ¡°Okay, now call which pocket you¡¯ll start with, the break doesn¡¯t count, but you have to place each ball in the pocket in order.¡± I pointed to the corner. ¡°For example, I call this pocket, I have to put my first ball here, the lowest number solid left on the table, excluding the eight ball. Then my next lowest ball has to go in the next pocket to the right, clockwise.¡±

    ¡°Interesting. That should make things a bit more challenging!¡±

    We kept playing, the new rules were challenging. His skill really showed. I got a little lucky in the next two games and we were tied three to three going into the next game. I could tell he was better. He just had way more experience but he¡¯d had some unlucky breaks and I¡¯d managed to stay even with him.

    ¡°Okay, before we finish this, what does the winner get?¡± he asked.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know. Bragging rights?¡± I asked.

    He snorted. ¡°Yeah but what are they worth? You¡¯ll fly off in your ship and none of my buddies know how good you are!¡±

    I¡¯d told him I was just passing through. ¡°Fine, you think of something.¡±

    ¡°The winner gets to kiss the loser!¡± he said with a grin.

    I snorted. ¡°What if I don¡¯t want to kiss you?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Ha! Who says you¡¯re going to win?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s a stupid prize anyway.¡±

    ¡°You told me to pick something,¡± he replied. ¡°Are you afraid you¡¯re going to lose?¡±

    ¡°No! I just think it''s silly. I could kiss you right now if I wanted. And I don¡¯t have to win to do it.¡±

    ¡°Okay.¡±

    ¡°Okay, what?¡±

    ¡°Let''s see you kiss me.¡±

    ¡°No!¡± I said indignantly.

    He laughed. ¡°Fine, what should the winner get then?¡± he asked.

    ¡°Don¡¯t people usually play for a pot?¡±

    ¡°Most people usually just play for fun,¡± he replied.

    ¡°Your watch,¡± I said. ¡°If I win, I get your watch.¡±

    ¡°This thing cost me two hundred credits!¡±

    ¡°Okay.¡±

    ¡°Okay, what?¡± he asked.

    ¡°I¡¯ll put up two hundred credits.¡±

    ¡°Naw, I don¡¯t like playing for money.¡±

    ¡°Fine,¡± I took off the new necklace I won. ¡°How about this?¡±

    ¡°You sure? That looks expensive.¡± It had nearly seven hundred credits.

    ¡°It''s fine. It will give you something to remember me by, you know if I ¡®choke¡¯ and you win.¡± I used air quotes, implying if he won, it would be because I let him.

    He snorted. ¡°Sure! You are going to let me win? You are such a jokester.¡±

    ¡°Nope, I¡¯m going to take your watch,¡± I said grinning.

    ¡°Sure sure. I don¡¯t think so!¡±

    ¡°Let''s play, we¡¯ll let our skills do the talking.¡±

    It was his turn to break and he called out his starting pocket and we began. He made two shots before he missed, unfortunately, he left the cue ball in a terrible spot for me. I managed to sink one ball before returning the favor. He had a terrible angle for his next shot and I cackled at his plight.

    Back and forth we went, both of us playing defensively to deny our adversary a good shot. I finally made a mistake allowing him to get a decent shot, he didn¡¯t waste it.

    ¡°Whew! You made me work for it! I haven¡¯t had this much fun in a while. You¡¯re quite good.¡±

    I handed him my necklace. ¡°It was fun, it would have been more fun if you choked on your last shot though.¡±

    He laughed. ¡°You sure it''s okay if I take this?¡± he asked, indicating the necklace.

    ¡°A bet is a bet.¡±

    ¡°I could give you a consolation prize,¡± he said, doing an air kiss.

    I rolled my eyes but had to laugh. ¡°You¡¯re a nice guy and all, but no thanks. I had fun but¡ª¡± I broke off as the door opened and a whole group of security personnel filed into the room. ¡°I gotta go.¡±

    I ducked under the table and crawled toward the back exit.

    ¡°Ginny?¡± Grant looked under the table and then back at the security people. His brow wrinkled and then he just stood up and said nothing.

    I was almost to the back door when some twerp blew my cover.

    ¡°If you¡¯re looking for a hot chick, she¡¯s over here crawling for the exit,¡± the tall lengthy dweeb said.

    I glared at him and he grinned. ¡°Thanks a lot!¡± I hissed. I punched him in the balls. He gasped as his eyes bulged. I got to my feet and rushed for the exit.

    ¡°Freeze!¡±

    ¡°Stop!¡±

    I hit the back door and it flew open. A pair of darts from a taser shot past me and hit the door. I barely felt the jolt as they discharged their electric charge. I ran away from the club. Thank God I¡¯d picked out some sensible shoes. I knew I¡¯d be dancing so I¡¯d found something without a heel. It was a lifesaver now.

    ¡°Get her!¡±

    I glanced back to see the security people boiling out of the club''s back exit like a swarm of angry bees. I cursed as the lead men aimed. They weren¡¯t using their tasers anymore and I still had a dozen feet to go before I had any cover. I dove forward and tucked into a roll. Shots rang out and I tensed in anticipation of the impact but they missed. I rolled to my feet and ducked around the corner I¡¯d been heading for.

    I hacked the security cameras and infiltrated their system. I triggered the fire suppression system in this section of the station. The fire alarms sounded immediately and the fire suppression systems kicked in spraying a liquid fire retardant everywhere. It started transforming into a foam once it hit the air and within ten seconds I was up to my waist in the stuff. It gave me plenty of cover and I ducked into the tick foam and disappeared.

 Chapter 30

    ¡°Where did she go?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know! Start looking!¡±

    I could hear more security personnel closing in from all directions. I stifled a cough as the thick sticky foam tickled my nose. My heart was racing as I lay on my back completely covered in the thick fire suppression foam. The stuff tickled my nose and gummed up my hair. Ew.

    ¡°Fan out and start looking for her! You two, seal off the area. No one in or out until we find her!¡± A voice of command started issuing orders. ¡°Get fire control down here to dissipate this foam stat! And who has got an update for me on the security cameras? Come on people, it''s just one girl! We¡¯re better than this.¡±

    I smirked as I reached up and pulled a strand of hair from my mouth. I got some of the foam in my mouth. Disgusting. It tasted nasty. I tapped into my power and formed a force shield around my head. Much better. A lightbulb went off in my head and I formed a small dome over my body so that I had a mini crawl space under the foam. Brilliant Ginny! Now if only I¡¯d thought of this earlier!

    I used my ability to slowly open a path away from the search party that was closing in on me. I positioned myself so they would pass on either side of me and then waited. They bickered back and forth as they did their best to search the area. The foam was waist high and so long as I didn¡¯t move they were unlikely to spot me. It wasn¡¯t until they were almost on top of me that I wondered if they had some kind of heat sensor that would spot me through the foam. Then again my force shield might block that kind of scanning. I wasn¡¯t sure. In any case, they passed me by without incident and I started moving again.

    A half-hour later I slipped out of their cordoned-off area. It wasn¡¯t that hard. The guards grew bored and unattentive. I just had to wait until they got a radio call and were distracted. Once away I wasn¡¯t in the clear. Anyone who spotted me with all the nasty foam coating my clothes would know something was up.

    I accessed the maintenance crawl spaces. The veneer of modernism wasn¡¯t peasant in the crawlspace. Things looked positively ancient here out of sight of the public eye. I found myself wondering if this station was even safe. Some of the wires had their coating peeling off where it had dried out and cracked. Other spots were taped up so the bare wires wouldn¡¯t short out. I was glad my ship was built by a more advanced race than us humans or it never would have survived long enough for me to find it.

    Suppressing a shudder at the shoddy state of things I kept moving. At least they had bots that cleaned the dust and cobwebs in here. The access area was just tall enough that I could walk if I bent over and crouched slightly. I pulled up my map of the station. I needed a change of clothing and to get cleaned up. My hair was a mess. I couldn¡¯t go buying something from a store right now, not with how messed up my clothing was. I¡¯d draw far too much attention. I¡¯d have to steal something. My eyes locked onto the security station''s HQ and I found myself grinning.

    I was only in this mess because of them. Who better to donate to my wardrobe than them? I suppressed a chuckle and made for their headquarters. They would have fabricators there that I could use. I got the ball rolling while I made my way there. Hacking into the 3D printers was child¡¯s play when you could bypass all the security. The machine wasn¡¯t up to the standards of the Shadow Hunter but it would do. I wasn¡¯t picky. I programmed it to make me a knockoff warsuit. I say knockoff because it wasn¡¯t capable of building something as powerful as my ship. It would look almost as cool though so I wouldn¡¯t complain.

    Its ETA was several hours, but I¡¯d expected that. I had a long way to go before I made it there anyway and moving in the maintenance access spaces was going to take time. The station was modest in size, but it would still take several hours to walk the perimeter. I was heading for the central area where the main HQ for security was located. A train or lift would get me there in a few minutes but I couldn¡¯t use those just now. I shrugged and got moving. It would be a race to see who won, me or the printer.

    * * *

    I closed the maintenance access door behind me and stretched. Being hunched over like that for long periods was annoying. My enhanced body coped well, but I still took advantage of the freedom of movement. I was perched on a ledge overlooking a plaza. I was close now. Just a few minutes and I¡¯d be at the HQ for station security. I glanced at the time. It was going to be close. The printer was almost finished with my items.

    The billboard overhead flashed as the ad disappeared and my face filled the screen. I scowled at the abysmal skill with which the image had been taken. Such amateurs! It wasn¡¯t flattering to my image at all. I studied it for a moment before realizing where it was taken. It was from before this entire fiasco had begun. I should have figured. I¡¯d been tampering with or avoiding the cameras since then.

    ¡°They could have at least used an image of me smiling. Whatever, that will just make it harder for people to recognize me!¡± I smirked. Did they think I¡¯d be upset with them chasing me? That was half the fun!

    I glanced one more time at the image before moving on, only to freeze and do a double-take. My eyes narrowed as I looked more closely at the image. A mohawk caught my eye in the background. Yes, it was the same telltale mohawk I¡¯d noticed previously, just before I¡¯d made the mistake of asking that jerk about a bar. A closer examination revealed the image was captured during the conversation with that turdbutt. I was suspicious by nature, but coincidence? I think not.

    ¡°So, you are some hotshot around here? Pulling the strings of station security to do your bidding eh?¡± I clenched my fists together. I knew it was a mistake talking to that loser. I lacked proof but that was solved easily enough. I tapped into their systems and slipped through their digital security with ease. A short while later I¡¯d pilfered their systems and had Bob sort through the copious amounts of information.

    ¡°Talk to me Bob, is this guy behind the security people coming to arrest me?¡±

    ¡°It appears so, Captain. I¡¯ve found a recording of his call in the system. Would you like to hear it?¡±

    ¡°No. Just give me the highlights.¡±

    ¡°Very well. He ordered a team of security, who are corrupt individuals and little more than thugs, to pick you up. He emphasized scaring you was a priority. Seems he wanted to swoop in as some white knight to save you and get you released.¡±

    ¡°Seriously?¡± I laughed. ¡°After how he acted? And he thought I¡¯d fall for that! What an idiot.¡±

    Seems I might need to pay him a visit before I leave. He needs another good kick to the balls. I looked around but no one had taken notice of me yet. I moved to the ladder to descend, it was retracted to prevent pedestrians from messing with it. That did little to deter me, however. I climbed down until I reached the bottom and then let go, dropping the last ten feet easily.

    I drew a few glances but I just flashed a brilliant smile and moved on my way before they could get a good look at me. The image they¡¯d chosen didn¡¯t do me justice and given my disheveled appearance with foam and night clubbing attire. I didn¡¯t look much like the image they¡¯d posted on the billboard.

    I lengthened my stride. It only took one person to sound the alarm and I was almost to their HQ. They would have plenty of personnel on hand to respond unless they were all out searching for me, which may be the case since I¡¯d violated the cardinal rule and attacked one of their own. Law enforcement had a knee-jerk overreaction any time one of theirs got hurt. Heaven forbid you kill one of them. That was like opening the gates of hell. Rules and procedures went out the window then. They did pretty much whatever they wanted or had to to get the ones responsible. Talk about double standards.

    I could understand it though. If I had friends, I¡¯d do whatever was necessary to avenge them too.

    Getting into the HQ was almost too easy. I just walked in. They were a public service after all. Accessing their equipment would have been more challenging without my expertise. The place was busy and the staff looked overworked. So I just waited for the right moment and then slipped into the restricted access area behind one of the staff during the chaos.

    Subverting the cameras as I went, I quickly reached their manufacturing facilities. A wide grin formed on my face as I walked up to the industrial-sized 3D printers.

    ¡°Ha, with two minutes to spare! Take that!¡± I don¡¯t know why I was gloating to a machine, but I was immensely pleased with myself. Okay, maybe I was just weird. That wasn¡¯t news to anyone who¡¯d interacted with me for long.

    It took a minute to figure out which one was building more things and by the time I¡¯d found it, it was almost finished. They had a dozen printers and most of them were in use. I was just about to strip out of my clothing when a young wet-behind-the-ears technician walked in.You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.

    I cursed and pulled my top back down, mostly covering my stomach.

    ¡°Hey, what are you doing here? This is a restricted area.¡±

    He¡¯d caught me red-handed, but given how green he looked, I decided to play it cool. ¡°Do you mind? I¡¯m trying to get changed here! Give a girl some privacy! Are you some kind of pervert?¡± I laced my voice with indignation and accusation.

    He was already flustered by the look of the reddening on his cheeks.

    ¡°I just got down with a long day and I need a drink so if you don¡¯t mind, I¡¯d like to get out of this getup and into some normal clothes.¡±

    ¡°Ah, right, um, you were working undercover then?¡±

    I cast him a glare. ¡°If I was, do you think I¡¯d go talking about it with you?¡±

    His blush deepened. ¡°No, no of course not, it''s just that I haven¡¯t seen you around before and¡ª¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s by design.¡± I rolled my eyes and turned back to the 3D printer whispering so he could just barely hear I added the cherry on top. ¡°Idiot.¡±

    After several seconds, he shifted from foot to foot.

    I looked over my shoulder. ¡°Why are you still here? Did your feet take root or something? Can you at least turn around if you aren¡¯t going to leave?¡±

    He was tomato red now. He turned around. ¡°I need to service the printers, ma¡¯am.¡±

    ¡°No peeking.¡± I didn¡¯t trust him but I turned my back to him and stripped my shirt off. The undershirt for the war suit was a simple tank top but at least it covered up my midriff.

    I wasn¡¯t sure where the bathrooms were and didn¡¯t feel like checking. Every second spent here just increased the chances that someone else would see me. I sat down behind the printers and finished stripping, then pulled the war suit on. When I stood again the idiot was staring at me. I was glad I¡¯d ducked out of sight.

    I marched over to him and slapped him across the face. He flinched at the sudden contact. ¡°Okay, pervert, where can I clean up my hair?¡± I demanded.

    He was too flustered to even question why I wouldn¡¯t know such a basic thing. Something anyone on the force would know.

    ¡°D-down the hall, make a right and the bathrooms are on the left. I mean, right.¡±

    I didn¡¯t respond as I marched off. Stupid! I could have just changed in the bathrooms! I shook my head as I pulled up a map of the place. Sometimes I forget I have free access to all of their computers.

    I caught the pervert gaping at me as I turned to exit the manufacturing center. His mouth was hanging open and everything. I guess the skintight war suit made an impression.

    The bathrooms were right where he said they were. I walked in and got to work. I was in the middle of rinsing the foam out of my hair when a woman entered the bathroom. I cursed loudly as I ran my fingers through my hair. I plastered a fierce scowl onto my face. She, as I¡¯d hoped, took one look at me and then hurried about her business, doing her best to ignore me and my seemingly bad mood. I suppressed a smile and continued washing the foam away. My hair was a sticky mess and it was going to take more than warm water and hand sanitizer to fix that but I got the worst of it washed out.

    I pulled it back into a ponytail for convenience and grimaced as I looked at myself in the mirror. It still looked like a mess. It was less eye-catching with the foam gone, but it didn¡¯t look much better if you examined it closely. No matter, it was time to get out of there. I¡¯d lingered long enough.

    ¡°Hey Bob, you there?¡± I asked after opening a channel on my wrist computer. No point in draining my mental energy by using my powers for no reason.

    ¡°I¡¯m here Captain. Are you in trouble? How can I assist you?¡±

    ¡°Naw, I¡¯m fine. Just retrieved my gear. Huh, I should have got a stunner too.¡±

    I shrugged. I was sure I could find one lying around. I pushed open the bathroom door and turned to go deeper into the HQ. ¡°Pull up the armory on the map.¡±

    Bob compiled without complaint and I lengthened my stride. I waltzed into the armory and smiled at the person on duty there to check out weapons.

    ¡°Hello, I¡¯d like to make a withdrawal,¡± I sassed. I had no ID so there was no point in pretending.

    ¡°Huh, who are you? Wait! You¡¯re that girl on the wanted posters!¡±

    ¡°Surprise!¡± I raised my arm and pointed it at his head. ¡°Sorry about this.¡± I then blasted a force ball right into this face.

    He was sent sprawling to the floor with absolutely no grace. I winced. That was going to leave a mark. I tried the door but it was locked. There was a divider and the only opening was too small to slip through. Not bad, I thought. The security wasn¡¯t terrible, but it wouldn¡¯t stop me.

    The key to the door was on the man''s belt. I formed a force shield around the keys and pulled. My intent guided my powers. This was a new way to use my force shield but it did the trick. The man¡¯s belt loot tore and the keys were freed. I pulled them into my waiting palm and then walked over and used them to open the door.

    I tossed them next to his body once I was finished with them and then I geared up. I took anything that looked useful. A rifle and ammo, stun grenades, EMP grenades, and a sidearm all went in a duffle bag. I tossed a flashlight in there along with some batteries, then secured a utility belt around my waist. It held one of their tasers with half a dozen extra charges or reloads. I examined it for a moment to familiarize myself with it. There were two main settings with several power levels it could be set to.

    The first setting fired the studs out, this was the sub-optimal option but gave the weapon greater range. The second setting fired the studs out but left them connected via wires, which provided a greater charge and stopping capacity. I set the weapon to maximum power, figuring I¡¯d be up against security personnel in body armor if it came to a fight. Unless I got a lucky shot, the weapon would have to put out a lot of energy to get through their protective gear. Okay, the likelihood of it incapacitating one of them was pretty slim in that case, but still, I looked super cool in my getup with it strapped to my hip.

    I decided it would look even cooler with a gun on each hip. I dug the sidearm out of the bag and put it on my left. I didn¡¯t plan to use it, but I would if I had to. Akimbo sidearms!

    ¡°Oh yeah! I¡¯m rockin¡¯ in now!¡± I laughed as I drew both weapons a few times. ¡°Okay, enough messing around. I should be going.¡± They fit snuggly back in the holsters.

    I was just on my way out when a door in the back caught my eye. ¡°Impound? Huh, that could be interesting.¡± I was thinking mainly of all the drug money I heard about in the various TV shows I caught pieces of from time to time. All that money had to go somewhere. I fetched the keys and got the door open.

    I let out a whistle as I took in the shelves of confiscated items. These guys had seized a lot of stuff. The ceiling was ten feet high and three thirty-foot long shelves were filled to the ceiling with stuff. Just what I could see from the door made my mouth water.

    ¡°I think I¡¯m going to need a bigger bag.¡± I hurried back out and grabbed a backpack from the armory then moved into the room.

    Hard currency wasn¡¯t very popular these days on Radon, but out here it still saw a lot of use. I saw entire packages of paper money but it was the bars of platinum and silver that drew my eye. There were even some gold coins but those looked like their value was more from their age than anything. Antiques. I didn¡¯t have a reliable fence I could pawn them off to, but I swiped them anyway. The backpack was well built so I filled it until it was bulging. I only had a slight worry that the seams would rip. Precious metals were heavy.

    I hefted the backpack and secured it on my back. ¡°Okay, now it''s time to go.¡±

    I stepped out of the back room and passed through the armory. I¡¯d taken no more than one step out of the armory when the blare of an alarm sounded. Red lights flashed as the tone sounded, a high-pitched sound that was impossible to ignore. I cursed as I bolted for the door. Something must have had a tracking device on it. Failure to check it out properly had triggered an alarm. It was too late to worry about now. The milk, as they say, was spilled.

    My pulse quickened as I hurried for the nearest exit. I should have paused to think for a moment but I was flustered and my goal was simply to get out as fast as possible. My ill-chosen route took me directly to the main lobby, which was packed with civilians and overworked staff. I was pushing through the door into the main lobby before I realized my mistake.

    I stifled a curse. There was nothing for it now. I came to a stop. It was that or push people out of the way. As I glanced around for a path through the crowd, my eyes landed on Howard Moss, the jerk who¡¯d started this whole mess. He looked over at the man he was talking to and spotted me at almost the same time.

    He stopped in his tracks. I froze as well as our eyes met. The man he¡¯d been talking with stopped to see what was wrong and then looked over at me. He was in uniform and the number of metals on his chest could have been repurposed to construct another ring for the station. An aide looked up from his notes behind them. I stifled a curse but my anger began to simmer.

    I reached out with my mind to contact my ship. ¡°Bob, I¡¯m blown. Things are going to get messy here.¡±

    I started toward the troublemaker and the big brass he was chatting with. So, he¡¯s got connections. Is that why he thought he could manhandle me? I¡¯d already kneed him in the groin once, but in this case, I think he needed a second dose. The first dose hadn¡¯t fixed his problem yet.

    ¡°That¡¯s her! She¡¯s here!¡± Howard shouted.

    The din of conversation ebbed and all eyes turned toward him, he pointed at me. I was scowling by this point and my simmering anger had reached a boil.

    ¡°Did you think you could get station security to manhandle me when you failed to do it yourself?¡± I shouted. ¡°Was one knee to the groin not enough for you? When a girl tells you to let go, you do it, punk!¡±

    People shied away from me as I advanced. The man with the metals went for his weapon so I activated my defensive systems on my suit with a thought. I didn¡¯t want him shooting in this crowd though. Chances were high he¡¯d miss or the bullet would ricochet and hit someone. I rushed forward and lunged. His weapon came up just as I closed to melee range. I wasn¡¯t a skilled fighter but I was fast and strong. I hit his hand as it came up with my palm, knocking the weapon free from his hand and quite possibly breaking his hand in the process.

    With a shove, he was sent to the floor, then I turned my attention to Howard. I was just in time to catch a slash of his blade across the face. I cried out in surprise as I staggered back. Then the pain hit. Blood flowed down my cheek and tears threatened to blur my vision.

    ¡°Take that you stupid bitch!¡± Howard gloated.

    The smugness in his tone set me off. I jumped toward him and executed a basic snap kick once my feet were firmly planted again. My judgment of the distance was off though and he leaned back just enough to avoid it. Then he stepped forward and plunged the dagger right between my breasts.

 Chapter 31

    My war suit wasn¡¯t just for show. The blade impacted my chest, right between my breasts, and the material hardened. The kinetic force wasn¡¯t absorbed in this knockoff version but it barely rocked me back on my heels. I was still balanced enough to take action and there was no question now. He was in range.

    I grabbed his arm and squeezed. He cried out in pain as I crushed his wrist. At the same time, I broke his foot with a foot stomp. I kicked him in the shin, slapped him across the face, and then jerked him off his feet and tripped him. It was like playing with a child with my strength. Once he was on the floor and disarmed, I expressed myself for all to see.

    ¡°Do you think station security is your personal errand boys? Huh? Are all of them thugs in your employ you piece of shit?¡± I stomped on his balls. Then kicked him in the side. Did I mention I was angry? I then stepped back and drew my taser and made sure the power was set to maximum.

    ¡°Leave me alone.¡± I punctuated my statement by pulling the trigger and firing the taser darts into his groin. I then proceeded to stand there zapping him for a good ten seconds before the civilians had cleared out enough for the rest of the security staff in the place to intervene.

    They didn¡¯t bother with warnings. At this point there was plenty of confusion about what was going on, who I was, and why I was attacking some loser in the heart of their power but they reacted as quickly as they were able given the circumstances.

    Shots rang out. Several struck my chest and the suit hardened around the impacts. It still hurt but it was like taking a punch instead of being ventilated with new holes. I staggered backward and someone tried to tackle me from behind. They hugged me and tried to bore me to the ground but that was doomed to fail.

    ¡°Get off!¡± I shouted. I bit the guy''s arm, which worked surprisingly well. He screamed and let go. I¡¯d have to remember that.

    I tossed the taser aside and bolted for the door. The crowd of civilians was thick as they lingered to see what would happen. The security people had enough sense not to shoot at me with so many people in the line of fire. I ran into the crowd and quickly outpaced the pursuit.

    After losing pursuit, I called Bob using my mental powers.

    ¡°Bob, I need a ride. Where should I go for pickup?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sending you a location.¡±

    ¡°Are you functioning properly?¡± I demanded. ¡°That¡¯s outside the station!¡±

    ¡°Indeed. I calculate a 95% chance that they will be unable to pursue you immediately into space. Given your war suit and force shield ability, you should have no problem surviving a few minutes. That should be more than enough to board the transport.¡±

    ¡°Bob, you are officially on my shit list!¡±

    ¡°Shadow Hunter¡¯s repairs are well underway, Captain. We won¡¯t be able to leave the system for some time yet, but we are capable of outrunning any of their ships with our functional sublight drive.¡±

    ¡°Any sign of the Triv?¡± I asked.

    ¡°None, but they are likely en route by now. The damage done to their drives was less extensive than what the Shadow Hunter sustained. I calculate our RB units to be 30% more efficient.¡± There was a pause. ¡°It¡¯s impossible to predict if our engines will be back online before they arrive.¡±

    Great. That''s just great! ¡°How long?¡±

    ¡°Roughly six hours,¡± Bob replied.

    I slipped into my mind space to talk to Nestra. ¡°Hey.¡±

    ¡°Oh, Ginny! Hello. Did you need something?¡±

    I took a deep calming breath. ¡°Thanks for that,¡± I said. I couldn¡¯t help but smile back when she grinned.

    ¡°Shall I answer your question?¡± she asked.

    Frinkin¡¯ mind reader. I quickly lost my smile. ¡°Fine.¡±

    ¡°Bob rounded up. Five hours and forty-seven minutes. I¡¯d suggest laying low for a while and leaving only when the ship is nearly repaired.¡±

    ¡°Would it speed things up if we had more RB units?¡± I asked.

    ¡°No. All the defective parts are being sent through the material processor and then rebuilt so the printers are where the bottleneck is at. The engine housing is assembled and being installed now. Once that is done, the engine needs to be mounted and hooked up. It''s already assembled and waiting. The RB units are being directed by Bob and are doing things as optimally as possible.¡±

    ¡°Did the supplies I bought from Market Price get delivered?¡±

    ¡°Yup! All packed up, nice and snug!¡±

    ¡°Okay. Thanks, Nestra.¡±

    ¡°Sure thing, Ginny! Anything else?¡±

    ¡°You know there¡¯s not.¡±

    ¡°I know.¡± The imp grinned. ¡°Just thought I¡¯d ask!¡±

    I didn¡¯t reply, I just exited my mind space but I left her connection to the ship and Bob open.

    I wasn¡¯t sure what to do for the next six hours. I could do with a nice long soak in a bath. Or a few beers. A relaxing swim on the beach at Penbrook sounded great right about now too. I shoved away the notion. It wasn¡¯t to be.

    ¡°Surely I can find a bar though,¡± I mused. As I was perusing the map for options, a better idea came to mind. I started to chuckle, and then laugh. Once I¡¯d regained control of myself I gathered the information I needed from the station''s network. ¡°You¡¯re going to regret messing with me,¡± I muttered.

    Finding the information I needed wasn¡¯t as simple as it sounded. Howard Moss wasn¡¯t your typical jerk, no he was the son of one Adrian Moss. Adrian ran the largest smuggling operation in this sector of the galaxy and controlled the criminal underworld on several planets. Howard was sent here to learn how the business operated and get some experience. The information was closely guarded and wasn¡¯t on the local network. I gleaned what I could from the local network and found his private number, which I then linked to. Once that was done, it was easy. I copied all the information to my wrist computer and decrypted it using my mental powers.

    Now it was time for payback. I copied his list of contacts and checked them out one by one. Adrian Moss was a big deal. Half a dozen agencies were trying to get dirt on him for years. I hacked his communications device, and then cast my mind into the system, from there I reached out to the nearby electronics to try to locate him. He wasn¡¯t on a station or planet, but an asteroid. After reading through his texts I learned he was hiding from a rival. Using star readings in the asteroid base''s computer, Bob pinpointed his location. I then copied all his ¡®secure¡¯ information from the asteroid base to every agency that had a beef with him and then sent an anonymous tip to his rivals telling them his location.

    As for Prince of Wales Station, Howard Moss, and the assets on hand here, those were mine to deal with. I needed something to do for the next¡­ I glanced at the time. Hacking and arranging all of that had taken a little over two hours. I had just under three and a half hours left.Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

    I stashed the loot I¡¯d taken from station security in a luggage locker at one of the train stations nearby and proceeded to Howard Moss¡¯s hideout. Using his electronics network connection, I backtracked where he¡¯d been to the general area, and then the station''s camera surveillance pinpointed the buildings he¡¯d visited. Going back far enough gave me a pattern of the places he went the most.

    From there it wasn''t hard to narrow it down. Between the security personnel patrol routes, which avoided one location in particular, and the lack of cameras covering the approach, I was pretty sure I¡¯d found his lair. I caught a station train across the station and then took a lift up to the proper level. Masking my presence from the cameras was starting to put a strain on my mind, but I was almost finished here. As soon as my ship was repaired, I was out of here.

    Three hours¡­ I checked in with Bob and we were still on schedule to meet that deadline.

    A lot of things were done digitally, accounts, credits, security¡ªmost things had some digital loophole you could hack into. Criminals were a paranoid lot, however. They knew this and while they were dependent on these weaknesses to a degree, they preferred a more hands-on approach. I mean what kind of rich villain didn¡¯t want to sit in their lair plotting evil surrounded by piles of riches? I mean didn¡¯t everyone want to hold their money in hand and look at their expensive things and show them off to their friends?

    I emptied all the accounts I could trace back to Howard Moss or his father, but I knew they would have hidden accounts I didn¡¯t have time to seek out. Like here on the station, I knew they had physical currency, items of value, and more that could be used in a pinch. Any group that was this well-connected would have backup plans in case things went wrong.

    So with a pep in my step, I hurried toward the gang''s lair. I kept my guard up and remained cautious though. Sometimes I felt invincible with my enhanced body and gear, but I¡¯d come too close to death on multiple occasions to be careless.

    I located the building pretty easily. It was marked quite nicely for me by the two thugs smoking out front while they lackadaisically looked around for any threats. I slipped past them with ease. I entered through a window on the second floor, closed it behind me, and reactivated the alarm. No point in making it easy for them to track down how I got it. I grinned as I thought how confused they would be later. Then I calmed myself and crept toward the door.

    For the next half hour, I avoided detection as I searched the building. It wasn¡¯t that difficult. With a little patience here and there along with my skill, I slipped past the few gang numbers I came across. There wasn¡¯t much activity though. I figured they were either out in force looking for me, or sleeping.

    I finally found what I was looking for. Well, I hoped so. The door at the end of the hall was guarded by two strong men. They were a cut above the rest of the rabble. I could tell just by how they carried themselves.

    I only got a glance at them and the door, but my intuition told me something important was behind that door. Either the boss¡¯s office or their stash of goods. I was hoping for the latter, but either was fine. I was sitting there trying to decide on a course of action to get in silently when a commotion sounded. It was a risk, but I took another glance down the hall.

    The big strong guards had a chance of spotting me, but it was dark at my end of the hall and the shadows hid me well. They were scowling. Their veneer of professionalism had cracked. The commotion was coming from the room behind them. Okay, so probably not their stash¡­ Someone was in there. I knew it couldn¡¯t be Howard Moss, he¡¯d be lucky to be walking again this week. I smirked at the thought. Served him right.

    I was at a loss for what it could be. Surely it wasn¡¯t another thief. They were making a racket and the guards hadn¡¯t even moved to investigate. I wracked my brain but came up with nothing. Curiosity may have killed the cat, but they had nine lives. I wasn¡¯t a cat, nor did I have nine lives but my curiosity got the better of me. I decided to check this out. I was pretty sure at this point it wasn¡¯t their stash in the boss''s office, but for the life of me, I couldn¡¯t figure out why guards would be stationed here otherwise.

    A muted crash sounded and I took another peek. The guards were more concerned now and they exchanged a look. With a nod, the one opened the door and disappeared inside. With only one guard left, I grinned. This was my chance!

    I drew my taser and took a deep breath. All at once I sprang into action, rounded the corner, and bolted toward the guard. He was quick, but I closed the distance as I aimed. He went for this weapon but I had caught him by surprise. I was in range and I fired. His weapon cleared the holster but it didn¡¯t matter. The darts hit him in the chest and his body spasmed as the shock hit him.

    I continued my mad dash and caught the guard¡¯s twitching body as I released the trigger, gently lowering him to the ground. He wasn¡¯t going to be getting up for a few¡ª He started trying to stand. I stifled a curse as I kicked him in the side. The air exploded out of his lungs as he curled up in a ball. He still tried to grab my leg as he wheezed, but I evaded his attempts. I hit the trigger again and he convulsed. What a tough dude! Gosh, I¡¯d have played dead by now.

    He had some Flex Ties and I bound his hands. Even with his strength, there would be no breaking those. I nodded in satisfaction and turned my attention to the door and room beyond it. I could hear sounds coming from it all the while, muffled grunts and moans mostly. That didn¡¯t bode well.

    I pushed the door open, and dove inside, rolling in case someone had heard the commotion outside and was waiting to blow my head off. No one was. Instead, hanging from the ceiling by their wrists, were two people, a petite woman who looked worse for wear, and¡ªI blinked in surprise. It was my pool buddy, Grant. What the heck is he doing here all chained up?

    It was a surprise, to say the least, but I had more important things to worry about, the other guard, who¡¯d been pounding on Grant, had heard my entrance and turned to look my way. He was a big dude, every bit as fierce-looking as the other guard I¡¯d dispatched, and like an idiot, I¡¯d forgotten to reload my taser. Hey, don¡¯t roll your eyes, I wasn¡¯t a trained professional with weapons. I was a thief.

    I jumped forward out of my crouch and did a flying kick. The guard''s eyes went wide at the surprise move. We both made mistakes. I was airborne and unable to adjust my trajectory and he froze for a second in surprise.

    He jerked his head out of the way just in time and my kick missed its intended mark. I landed well within his reach and a vicious grin appeared on his face. I reminded myself not to reveal my full capabilities. I had witnesses and didn¡¯t want to explain why I was so much stronger than a huge buff guy to Grant and the other girl.

    He went to grab in a bear hug, a simple tactic big guys liked to use in the movies. His arms closed around me and he squeezed. It probably would have worked if not for my unique advantages. The dude was strong. I was much shorter than him, but he¡¯d bend down to lift me off the ground, this meant we were eye to eye. I promptly slammed my forehead into his nose.

    He cursed and his grip weakened.

    ¡°Wanta play big boy?¡± I taunted as I got ahold of his thumb and started twisting it. He cried out again as I pried his arms off me. He was more than happy to oblige and practically threw me away like a hot potato to get his thumb free.

    I landed in a crouch and immediately jumped back toward him. I kicked out, this time at his knee and it was over. His leg bent the wrong way and I cringed at the sound, and then his screams filled the room. I didn¡¯t want him drawing more thugs so I hurried forward and punched him in the head.

    ¡°Ow!¡± I screamed. A string of curses followed as I cradled my hand. I was sure I¡¯d broken at least a few fingers with my stupid move.

    A low pained chuckle sounded behind me. I spun around still nursing my injury. Grant looked like he was hurting badly, but he was laughing.

    ¡°That¡¯s why you never punch someone in the face.¡±

    ¡°Thanks, Sherlock. That¡¯s so helpful,¡± I said.

    I moved forward and examined his restraints more closely. ¡°What are you doing here anyway?¡± I asked.

    ¡°I could,¡± he coughed and pain flashed across his face. ¡°I could ask you the same thing.¡±

    ¡°I asked first.¡±

    He groaned. ¡°Can you get me down first?¡±

    ¡°Fine. Any idea where the key is?¡± It wasn¡¯t just his wrists that were locked to the chains, but the chain was locked in place on the hook he hung from, preventing me from getting him down.

    ¡°Check their pockets,¡± he suggested.

    I did as he suggested, favoring my broken hand. It still hurt. I tried to distract myself.

    ¡°Who¡¯s the girl?¡± I asked.

    He didn¡¯t answer. I turned to look but he didn¡¯t reply. ¡°Hey, who¡¯s the girl?¡± I asked louder.

    She let out a moan. I found the key and went to check on her. Her face was swollen from bruising and she looked like she¡¯d been worked over hard. Her clothing was intact which I found surprising. She would have been a pretty girl if not for all the swelling. She looked to be about my age mid-twenties.

    I shuttered thinking about what she must have gone through. I¡¯d had my brush with the Triv Enforces and while I¡¯d been lucky to escape, it still haunted me. She¡¯d been beaten but that seemed to be the extent of her abuse from what I could tell. That would still leave a mark. I grabbed the chain and hopped, using my one arm to support me I undid the lock and got her lowered to the ground. I then freed her hands before moving on to Grant and repeating the process.

    ¡°Do you know her?¡± I asked, trying for the third time to get an answer.

    ¡°Yeah,¡± Grant finally spoke. ¡°She¡¯s my sister.¡±

 Chapter 32

    ¡°Your sister!¡± I exclaimed. ¡°What did you two do to piss off this band of rabble?¡±

    ¡°Would you mind terribly if we didn¡¯t play twenty questions while in the heart of their awful lair?¡± he asked.

    ¡°Fine.¡±

    Grant checked on his sister before scoping her up in his arms.

    I was worried that it would slow us down. She was barely conscious and couldn¡¯t walk. I would be able to move faster carrying her than Grant would in his current state but on the other hand, if we ran into opposition, I¡¯d want my hands free.

    ¡°Why are you here anyway?¡± he asked.

    I stopped and looked at him. ¡°I thought we just agreed not to play twenty questions?¡±

    ¡°Right. Let''s go.¡±

    ¡°Not so fast,¡± I said. I took a moment to reload my taser.¡±

    His eyebrows rose in surprise. ¡°That looks an awful lot like the station security¡¯s tasers.¡±

    ¡°You have a good eye,¡± I replied as I headed for the door. ¡°Let''s go.¡±

    I suppressed a scowl. My plans to leave that nincompoop Howard Moss penniless just wasn¡¯t to be. Grant¡¯s sister needed medical attention and dangit, if I didn¡¯t need some too. My hand still throbbed. My nanites would deal with it, but not fast enough for my liking. I was ready to go. Get back to my ship and just leave. I resolutely ignored the fact that my hair was still sticky.

    ¡°Hey, grab his pistol for me, will ya?¡± Grant asked.

    I stopped and thought about it for a second. ¡°I¡¯d rather not leave a trail of dead bodies in our wake,¡± I said, then complied with his request. I placed a lot more of my attention on him as we continued down the long hallway after that. It felt like I had a target on my back now. I had trust issues¡­ Was it really trust issues if people were always betraying me? Huh¡­ Something to think about. Ha, never. Come on, focus, Ginny.

    There was no way to slip out the way I came in, not with Grant¡¯s sister needing to be carried so I just headed for the front door. We came across a few thugs on the way and I tasered them without raising the alarm.

    ¡°You¡¯re remarkably good at this,¡± Grant stated.

    ¡°It¡¯s a pretty simple device. Point and click.¡±

    ¡°No, I mean the whole sneaking around and eliminating criminals thing. Are you some kind of private investigator?¡± he asked.

    I snorted. ¡°Please!¡± I stifled a laugh at the thought. Me a private investigator? Ha! That was funny. I grinned suddenly and felt a bit of glee. ¡°I¡¯m an acquisitions specialist.¡±

    ¡°A what?¡±

    I repeated myself.

    ¡°What¡­ What does that mean?¡± he asked.

    I shrugged. ¡°It''s a broad field. Basically, I find stuff for, um, people.¡± Or a person¡­ me. ¡°I find antiquities that are lost, recover stolen items, and such.¡±

    ¡°Interesting.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s the best job. I love it.¡±

    ¡°My father could use your services. He¡¯s¡ª¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t take on new clients right now, I have a debt I must repay first.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s unfortunate. I was hoping to introduce you to him. By the way, do you have a way off the station? If not, I could give you a lift. I have a ship.¡±

    ¡°Let''s table this conversation for now. We got some more thugs up ahead.¡±

    I walked right into the room, all four of the thugs looked up from their card game, the two playing a game on the console had headphones on and didn¡¯t notice us.

    ¡°Hey, fellas. We are checking out,¡± I said then fired my taser at the one across from me. I rushed in and shoulder-charged the one closest to me. He was sent sprawling into the table. I kicked out and connected with the one on my right. He was down for the count. I spun to my left and yelped in surprise as he slashed at me with a knife.

    I wasn¡¯t in danger. He aimed his slash at my torso. My suit would have taken it no problem, but it was still scary when someone slashed at you with a knife! I grabbed the table with my good hand and threw it at him. He shied away with his head but took the blow on his shoulder with no real trouble. It gave me a moment to catch my balance. He came at me and I dodged his first attack and then rushed in and punched him in the stomach. He doubled over and I brought my elbow down on the back of his head. He hit the floor like a rock.

    Grant cursed. ¡°Remind me never to make you mad.¡±

    I flashed him a grin. ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll remember real quick if you forget.¡±

    ¡°That isn¡¯t very reassuring,¡± he grumbled, his eyes locked on the two still gaming away on the console. They were completely oblivious.

    I snorted in amusement and reloaded my taser. Then headed for the front door. The two guards out front never stood a chance. I tasered one and grappled the other, kneed him in the gut, and then slammed him into the wall. He crumpled but looked like he might recover so I kicked him again.

    Grant wasn¡¯t satisfied with my handy work though. He delivered a few kicks of his own as he passed. He was looking even more tired now, and sweaty.

    We hurried away. After a few minutes, I slowed. The corridor was poorly lit and deserted. It reminded me of a dark alley, but the station didn¡¯t have alleys.

    ¡°Need me to carry her?¡± I asked.

    ¡°No,¡± he grunted. ¡°I got her.¡±

    ¡°If you slow us down, and either I carry her, or you find your own way.¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s not that heavy. By the way, thanks for getting us out of there. I owe you one.¡±

    ¡°Naw, it was nothing.¡± I waved it away with my hand.If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.

    ¡°What were you doing in there anyway?¡± he asked.

    ¡°I was looking for something. Didn¡¯t find it though, found you instead.¡±

    ¡°Well, thanks. We both appreciate it.¡±

    ¡°Sure.¡± My eyes spotted what I was looking for as we reached an intersection with a much better-maintained corridor. ¡°Look, there is a lift.¡±

    ¡°Wait! Those have cameras. Those thugs have access to the station¡¯s security cameras.¡±

    ¡°They have more than that. Some of the security forces are their lackeys, either through intimidation or bribes.¡±

    ¡°Then why are you going that way? We can¡¯t use the lifts.¡±

    ¡°They won''t know. Trust me,¡± I said, giving him a reassuring grin.

    ¡°Fine, but if you¡¯re wrong¡­¡± He growled.

    I ignored the warning in his tone and focused on hiding us from the cameras. We rode the lift and I coordinated with Bob as we went.

    ¡°Oh, your ship is impounded by the way,¡± I said.

    ¡°What?¡± He exclaimed. ¡°How? Why? Wait, how do you know that?¡±

    I pulled the info up on my wrist computer and showed him.

    He cursed as he reviewed it for a moment. ¡°Wait, how did you get this information?¡±

    I shrugged. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t we get your sister Helana some medical attention first?¡±

    ¡°How did you know her name?¡± he asked.

    I pulled up her file. Station security had it on file since she¡¯d used her ID to enter the station.¡±

    ¡°You hacked the station¡¯s main computer?¡± he asked.

    ¡°Sure, it''s not that hard. The system is pretty outdated. I¡¯m from Radon. That¡¯s in the heart of Human space. The tech there is several generations more advanced.¡±

    He was silent.

    ¡°I hate to impose but¡­¡±

    ¡°Let me guess, you want a ride off the station?¡±

    He scowled as he nodded. ¡°She needs medical attention and we can¡¯t risk it here,¡± he reminded me.¡± There was a pause while I considered it. ¡°If necessary I can pay you.¡±

    ¡°Fine, but I have rules.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll do whatever you say.¡±

    ¡°Good.¡± I didn¡¯t like having guests aboard my ship. They were unknowns. Well, that wasn¡¯t entirely true. I missed Rose, she was always welcome.

    The rendezvous with the transport Bob sent went off without a hitch. I thought I¡¯d be fighting my way out but we¡¯d managed to avoid discovery, even with Grant¡¯s tall frame carrying a battered woman in his arms. Small mercies. Once aboard the transports, I flew us back to Shadow Hunter.

    Grant had fallen asleep a few minutes after we left the station so I carried his sister to the medical bay and placed her in the medical bed. I asked about the treatment of my hand.

    Bob was as helpful as ever. ¡°Quite being a crybaby, your nanites will have it healed up in no time.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s been almost an hour already!¡± I protested.

    ¡°There is ice in the galley,¡± Bob replied.

    I harrumphed to myself but a few minutes later I had an ice pack on it and a bowl of ramen steaming in front of me. The smell of food improved my mood immediately and I dug in.

    After satisfying my hunger I have the SB units move the passed-out Grant to the medical bay. He had plenty of his own bruises that needed treatment. I left a pair of SB units to look after them and headed for the bridge. I was tired but we only had another hour before repairs were finished and then we could leave. I propped my feet up on the console and leaned back. I wasn¡¯t planning to, but I drifted off to sleep.

    * * *

    An alarm blared, waking me from a dead sleep. I sprang out of my command chair, my head whipped around looking for threats. It took a moment longer for my mind to catch up with what I was seeing and for the panic to ease enough to think.

    I realized I had the taser in hand and holstered it as I placed another hand on my chest, calming my racing heart. I was on Shadow Hunter. I was safe. Calm down, Ginny. I quickly moved to the console to view the display and get some information.

    Even as I took in the information, I called out to Bob. ¡°What is going on?¡± I demanded.

    ¡°Captain, the Triv ship, Star Hammer, has entered the system.¡±

    I cursed. It wasn¡¯t lady-like, but then I wasn¡¯t a lady. ¡°Where? Oh¡­¡± I cursed again as my eyes updated me before he could respond.

    Whether incidental or intentional, it didn¡¯t matter. The Star Hammer had dropped into the system much closer to the station than any Human ship ever could, and it was rushing toward us at top speed.

    ¡°They will be in the weapons range in two minutes,¡± Bob informed me.

    That was far too close for comfort.

    ¡°Can we outrun them? What''s our status?¡±

    ¡°Engines are nearly repaired, Captain. Unfortunately, all of our engines are out as we reconnect the repaired engines to the rest of the ship. ETA is fifteen minutes.¡±

    ¡°Freak!¡± I screamed. We missed our clean getaway by fifteen freakin¡¯ minutes. ¡°Get us moving!¡±

    ¡°Repairs are moving as fast as possible, Captain.¡±

    I clenched my hands into fists and got a hold of myself. ¡°Understood. Arm the weapons and¡­¡± And what? I thought back to the training I¡¯d received for my pilot license. It didn¡¯t equip me for fighting a freakin¡¯ dreadnought.

    ¡°Calm down, Ginny.¡± I hated how my hands trembled. It was just adrenaline and nervous tension. ¡°We¡¯ve done this before.¡± That steadied my mind. Did I mention I wasn¡¯t a morning person? I was woken from a dead sleep and asked to think! Such horrors should be illegal, not that I was one to obey rules, but still. It was cruel and unusual punishment.

    As my brain powered up and came online I made a supreme tactical decision. I passed the responsibility to my AI friend. ¡°Bob, get us out of here. Keep the ship intact.¡±

    ¡°Acknowledged.¡±

    I felt more than heard a whisper in the back of my mind. Oh, duh! I dipped into my mind and Nestra appeared before me. She lacked her normal cheery smile as she greeted me.

    ¡°Ginny, what can I do for you?¡±

    ¡°I need to think.¡±

    ¡°May I suggest you get suited up?¡±

    ¡°Oh, good idea. This suit I printed off on the station is like a cheap knockoff.¡±

    Nestra smiled. ¡°Yes, it was a great price though.¡±

    I snickered. ¡°Okay, thanks.¡±

    ¡°Ginny?¡± she called before I could retreat.

    ¡°Yes?¡±

    ¡°Be safe.¡±

    I stopped cold. A strange warmth filled me. The words were simple but hit me hard. ¡°Sure.¡±

    Nestra pulled out a small book of sudoku puzzles and a pen. I blinked at the scene, snapping out of my thoughts. I placed a hand over my heart as the AI¡¯s manifestation went about solving the puzzle.

    ¡°Thanks, Nestra.¡±

    I quickly left before she could say anything but I heard her hum an acknowledgment. I shook off the heartwarming feelings and chuckled as I considered her antics. An AI doing a sudoku puzzle? Really? I headed to get changed and I started to chuckle. The more I thought about it the funnier it got.

    I was still smiling as I finished changing. When I caught a look at myself in the mirror, however, I scowled. My hair was still a mess and I felt my skin crawl as I looked at how filthy I was. Ick!

    ¡°Brace for impact!¡± Bob¡¯s voice called over the intercom.

    I don¡¯t know why he bothered with a warning. Before I could even think about complying, the ship rocked. I was tossed from my feet and landed hard on the ground. I quickly scrambled to secure my helmet in place.

    ¡°Bob, what was that?¡±

    ¡°The enemy ship has engaged us.¡±

    ¡°You could have warned me earlier!¡± I demanded as I snapped my helmet in place.

    ¡°Noted. Another volley of missiles is inbound. ETA thirty seconds.¡±

    ¡°Hold on, I¡¯ll try to get into their systems,¡± I replied. I hadn¡¯t forgotten about my vast cosmic powers, I just hadn¡¯t got my brain powered up properly yet. I engaged my maglock boots on my suit and closed my eyes.

    Reaching out with my power, linked to my wrist computer, and used the quantum link to slip into the Triv¡¯s system. I was tired of these aliens haunting me. The thought of what they had done to me and planned to do filled my mind. The anger in my chest surged. It''s payback time!

 Chapter 33

    The sneering face of the Triv ambassador as he told me my fate filled my mind. The ache in my butt from the hard courtroom chair, the rough handling by the Triv Enforcers. The betrayal by Rider and Viper¡ªthe Holden brothers¡ªSalamander, Moonbeam, and all the other excrement I¡¯d had to deal with all welled up in my mind. Childhood memories mixed with the fresher wounds in my heart and a deep painful ache emanated from my chest.

    I ignored the ache as my fingers popped from squeezing my hands so hard. Why were people so bad? It wasn¡¯t just Humans. I channeled my anger and used it to fuel my cyber attack on the enemy ship.

    My assault moved at the speed of thought. Mental powers were overpowered. I hit their weapons and shields first, ripping the coding apart as if it were my mortal enemy. I blasted through the code like a monkey on a keyboard, jamming keys like I was high on banana-induced happiness. I deleted pieces and scrambled the rest before moving on to other systems.

    I was ideally away from some pressure building in my mind. There was some odd piercing wail of noise too, but I ignored it as I continued my rampage. The communications were next. I absolutely destroyed the programming and erased all their stored messages. Next, I hit their computers. Those were almost as critical as life support for a modern ship to function and support a crew. More coding was torn apart, I felt a smile form on my lips as I obliterated my enemies.

    Next up was their life support systems. My vengeance would be swift. I was unstoppable. I would destroy it just like¡ª

    What are you doing? The voice in my head snapped me out of my rampage.

    I inhaled suddenly as a sharp mental pain stabbed me between the eyes. My hand rose to massage the headache. I fumbled to remove my helmet, but I barely noticed as a chill swept over my entire body. I shuttered involuntarily as goosebumps formed on my arms.

    I began trembling as emotions welled up in my chest. I dropped to my knees, my magnetic locks automatically adjusting to the movement. I cupped my face in my hands as tears welled up. My emotions took over and I sobbed.

    All the hurt and pain came boiling out like a volcano. I felt a mental presence inviting me in. I slipped into my mind. Nestra patted my back. Then rubbed it as she soothed the pain. She huddled with me on the floor, sobbing lightly with me. Everything I thought or felt she did too.

    As we held each other, time passed at a crawl in the real world. The experience was no less real here with my mind sister. The ABAT treatment worked as advertised. Allowing me to think, process, and plan¡­ or have a good cry when I got overwhelmed, all without wasting valuable time.

    Nestra rested her forehead against mine as we calmed. I hugged her tightly as I sniffled.

    ¡°Thank you.¡±

    I could sense she was just as thankful in return. She didn¡¯t say it though. Instead, she helped me stand up. She hugged me again.

    ¡°You can¡¯t just hide in here you know,¡± she whispered.

    ¡°I wasn¡¯t going to,¡± I said.

    ¡°I know.¡± And she did. I idly thought about it, but we both knew it wasn¡¯t happening. It would be far too boring.

    ¡°For anyone but me,¡± Nestra said with a smile.

    ¡°Right.¡± I sniffled and wiped my nose. ¡°Ew, so glad that¡¯s just mental snot.¡±

    Nestra laughed at me and I retreated from my mind. I saw why she found it so funny when I inhaled and sniffled again in the real world. It was just as much a mess. I grabbed my helmet from next to the floor and then a tissue from my nightstand.

    After blowing my nose, I quickly secured my helmet. ¡°Sta¡ª¡± My voice broke. I tried again. ¡°Status, Bob?¡±

    ¡°The enemy ship has stopped firing. Sensors show no indication of a power failure.¡±

    ¡°I disabled them.¡± I winced as another pain drilled into my mind right behind my left eye. That was the worst place. I stifled a moan and prayed the nanites would hurry up and fix whatever was going on.

    ¡°How long until we can go?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Three minutes.¡±

    I breathed a sigh of relief. It would take the Triv longer than that to make repairs. They had no communication and¡ª Wait¡­ Oh, oops. I realized several things at once. One, the Triv had quantum-linked communications, the wrist computer I wore had been modified with a quantum link I¡¯d taken from a Triv officer. Second, all their computers could link together so as soon as they made a call and sent a transmission, everyone in the freakin¡¯ Triv Empire would know what happened to the ship, and they would want that capability themselves. I¡¯d just shown my hand and inadvertently placed a target on my back. I didn¡¯t even bother cursing about it.

    I sighed and headed for the bridge. I diverted through the medical bay to check on my guests.

    ¡°I¡¯ve sedated both patients, Captain,¡± the medical bed informed me.

    My eyebrows rose at that.¡±Really? Why?¡±

    Bob answered. ¡°I thought it best you not have distractions while we were in the middle of a battle, though it seems we¡¯d once again gained the upper hand.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, say, can we safely do a flyby and blast their weapon emplacements off?¡±

    ¡°What about their engines?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, sure. They deserve to be stranded for a change. Take out their hanger bag too. No point in making it easy for them.¡±

    When I reached the bridge I took my seat. A moment later I felt the ship begin to move. Repairs were finished and we were underway! A smile pulled at my lips. The Triv might have been the dominant power in the area but they had just got their butts kicked by little old me. I couldn¡¯t help but feel a little, okay, a huge amount of satisfaction at that.

    I piloted us into position and Bob opened fire. The weapons pounded the enemy''s shields for a few minutes before they failed, then we stripped the ship of its guns. It was entirely at our mercy and I wanted to make a point. The engines took the most time to wreck. Damaging them enough without venting huge sections of the ship to space was difficult, but Bob got it down.

    Triv personnel were probably killed in the attack but I didn¡¯t want to know. I didn¡¯t ask and Bob didn¡¯t say.

    ¡°Orders complete.¡±

    ¡°Right, let''s get out of here. No! Wait,¡± I exclaimed at the end. ¡°I have an idea.¡±

    I told Bob what I wanted. We circled back toward the helpless Triv dreadnought and Bob got to work. Once he finished I couldn¡¯t help but smile. My headache was still killing me but it did nothing to diminish my grin.

    Etched into the ship''s armored hull plates with Shadow Hunter''s weapons were the words¡­ Er, was the sediment ¡®Don¡¯t mess with me.¡¯ The actual wording was much less polite.

    I nodded once. ¡°Punch it.¡±

    ¡°To the unknown region, Captain?¡±

    ¡°Yup, that''s the plan. I have a debt to repay.¡± What kind of man are you, Draden Walker? I glanced at the Triv tracking signal information. It was holding steady, somewhere out there in the unknown.

    ¡°Course plotted, standing by.¡±

    ¡°Execute.¡±

    The engines engaged and Shadow Hunter vanished from space.

    * * *

    Helena was looking much better after treatment. Grant had finally settled down and stopped hovering over her. She had pretty brown hair, an oval face, a small nose, and sparkling green eyes. She was a few inches taller than me but still well short of Grant¡¯s height. She was built like a dancer, lithe and slim.

    ¡°Thanks for saving us,¡± Helena said.

    Her words pulled me out of my examination. Helena ran a towel and threw her still-damp hair. Like me, she¡¯d wanted to clean up and had just finished a shower.Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.

    I couldn¡¯t even express how nice it was to be clean, I reached up and ran a few strands of hair through my fingers. It was finally clean again.

    ¡°No problem, I was passing through.¡± I smiled and she returned it.

    Grant finished up his shower and joined us. ¡°Ladies.¡±

    He¡¯d just finished his shower and joined us for lunch. At least I considered it lunch, my internal clock was all messed up right now.

    The timer dinged and I removed the pot from the stove. It was food and I ate it. It was good food too. I strained the noodles and added the rest of the ingredients.

    I was glad I¡¯d gotten to resupply at Prince of Wales Station. It wasn¡¯t exactly needed given I have plenty of other food, but for once, that food wasn¡¯t emergency rations.

    The spaghetti wasn¡¯t world-class by any means, but for my poor abused taste buds, it didn¡¯t have to be.

    Grant moaned in delight.

    ¡°This is so good,¡± Helena said.

    ¡°Um, thanks.¡± I wasn¡¯t a cook. Box instructions weren¡¯t hard to follow though. I piled parmesan cheese on top and stirred it in before immediately going for the meatball.

    My mouth watered as my teeth sank into the meat. So good! This must be what it feels like to be rich.

    As I considered that I realized by any reasonable measure, I was rich. In my head though, I didn¡¯t feel that way. Rich people were a different breed. They thought and acted differently. I didn¡¯t mind. It made them easier to steal from. No matter how much money I accumulated, my mindset would always be that of a girl who grew up on the streets. I was fine with that. It was a part of who I was.

    The meal passed in silence but as the food was finished conversation resumed.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t get a chance to ask before, but where are we headed?¡± Grant asked.

    I froze. Right, I probably should have dropped them off before heading for the unknown. The siblings noticed my deer-in-the-headlights look and exchanged a glance.

    ¡°Um, right. Well, you see¡­ I kinda am in the middle of a¡­ Of something.¡± I took a deep breath and just told them. ¡°We¡¯re heading for the unknown region, beyond Prince of Wales Station. Sector grid C9 on a standard star chart.¡±

    They both inhaled sharply. Dang, I should make them play poker! Even as I snickered to myself, my hand under the table settled on the taser strapped to my hip.

    The siblings exchanged a look. I could see the tension in their bodies. Helena bit her lip and looked down as if lost in thought. Grant leaned back and I figured he¡¯d be fingering his weapon if he had one. Yeah, I¡¯d secured the one he¡¯d picked up during our escape when he was sleeping. I¡¯d learned my lesson.

    Helena looked up and met my eyes. ¡°What do you plan to do out there? It¡¯s the middle of nowhere.¡± Her voice strained toward the end.

    ¡°I owe someone a debt.¡± I leaned forward. ¡°I intend to repay it.¡±

    ¡°What kind of debt?¡± Grant asked.

    I didn¡¯t feel like talking about it. It was annoying admitting you owed someone for saving your life, but it was true. ¡°They saved my life.¡±

    The siblings'' tension eased. ¡°Oh,¡± Grant chuckled. ¡°Who?¡±

    I locked onto him with my eyes but I mentally asked Nestra to watch Helena. ¡°Draden Walker.¡±

    That drew a reaction. Grant was pretty good but I was paying attention and noticed that his eyes widened despite him trying to hide it. Helena wasn¡¯t subtle at all.

    ¡°What?¡± she explained. ¡°Daddy saved your life? When? How? I¡ª¡±

    ¡°Helena!¡± Grant hissed.

    Helena realized she¡¯d completely failed to maintain her composure. She froze and her face paled.

    ¡°Daddy?¡± I asked, still clutching my taser under the table.

    ¡°I, um.¡± She figured and looked over at her brother.

    He just sighed. ¡°Yeah, he¡¯s our father. His name is known on Prince of Wales station. We aren¡¯t exactly welcome there hence the deception with our names.¡±

    ¡°Are you even siblings?¡± I asked.

    Helena nodded. ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s all true.¡±

    ¡°What else should I know?¡± I asked.

    Helena bit her lip and then her shoulders sagged. ¡°She¡¯s going to find out soon enough.¡±

    ¡°Find out what?¡± My head swiveled as I looked from one to the next and back again.

    ¡°Dad practically runs the independent moon colony, Calico,¡± Helena said. Her brother sighed heavily and didn¡¯t look too happy. ¡°Don¡¯t look at me like that. She saved our lives and she¡¯s going to meet Father anyway.¡±

    Grant seemed resigned. ¡°The colony has been struggling of late, Helena was supposed to pick up supplies and return days ago. When she didn¡¯t turn up I went to find her. We met when I was waiting on a contact to gather information on what happened to her.¡±

    ¡°Wait, you played pool and laughed and joked with me when your sister was missing?¡± I couldn¡¯t believe it.

    Helena didn¡¯t look pleased either.

    ¡°I had no reason to suspect something so awful had happened! When I left we all thought she¡¯d just had to wait for a delivery or shipment to come in to get the supplies we needed. Communication is out because we don¡¯t want anyone tracing it back to the colony.¡±

    ¡°Oh, and all I had was a burner. You didn¡¯t have the number.¡±

    ¡°Exactly!¡±

    ¡°Okay, whatever,¡± I didn¡¯t really care. It wasn¡¯t me tied up and beaten. ¡°Why did thugs have your sister tied up in the back room of their lair?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡±

    ¡°Their boss, some guy named Moss, wanted to know where all the supplies were going. He smelled a profit or something.¡±

    Grant groaned. ¡°I knew we shouldn¡¯t have ordered all that mining equipment at once.¡±

    Helana laid a hand on his arm. ¡°It¡¯s alright. There was no way to know if some lowlife would take an interest in our purchases.¡±

    ¡°Still¡­¡±

    ¡°We needed it. Still need it¡­¡± She sighed and her shoulders sagged.

    ¡°You alright, Helena?¡±

    Grant explained. ¡°The colony has been struggling. Resources are difficult to acquire and most of our excess capital was tied up in that supply run. Not to mention the ship we lost.¡±

    I scratched my head and felt myself relax a bit. ¡°I might be able to help.¡±

    I almost offered to give them some of Mossy¡¯s funds I¡¯d stolen, but that wasn¡¯t my way. I was a thief, not Robin Hood. Still, I liked helping people¡­ well, a few people. Very specific people, like friends. Okay, it didn¡¯t happen very often. My chest tightened as I wondered when these people would turn on me but I shook it off. Rose was a good friend. I missed her but I had things to deal with here and now.

    ¡°How?¡± Helena asked. ¡°We already owe you for saving us.¡±

    ¡°Well, I¡¯m an Acquisition Specialist. Once I take care of my business¡­ or¡­ Huh. Maybe helping you get your colony back on its feet will be payment enough for my debt.¡± I stood and slapped the table, making Helena jump. ¡°Um, sorry.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡±

    I stood there awkwardly as they both rose to their feet. I took my plate to the gally¡¯s sink. ¡°Right, well, not much point making plans right now. We¡¯ll have time for that once we arrive.¡±

    That ended the conversation, they were both still wrung out and I wasn¡¯t much better so we dispersed to our rooms. I didn¡¯t worry too much, I had Bob to keep an eye on their movements.

    I retreated to my room and fitted it with my wrist computer. My thoughts kept circling back to Rose. I missed my friend. Giving in to my nostalgia, I attempted to use my quantum link to contact her. I lost track of time but hours passed before I found the right connection. The planet was hundreds of lightyears away, but I eventually linked it with a computer on Zenith. I had her real name so I looked up her residence. I didn¡¯t know if it was still accurate, what with the war going on, but I found the number and placed the call.

    ¡°Hello?¡± a young boy¡¯s voice sounded in my ear.

    ¡°Yes, is this the Charleston residence? I¡¯m trying to contact Rose.¡±

    ¡°Just one moment, ma¡¯am. I¡¯ll let her know.¡± There was no attempt to cover the mic and he shouted for her. ¡°Rose! Telephone for you.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know!¡± ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll ask!¡±

    The boy addressed me then. ¡°Can I ask who¡¯s calling?¡±

    I smiled despite myself. ¡°I¡¯m her friend Ginny.¡±

    ¡°Ginny?¡± Skepticism filled his voice. ¡°Do you really have a spaceship?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s impossible. No one knows how to travel the stars anymore. Only the colony ship was able to do that.¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡± I was a little lost. Why did he ask if I had a spaceship then? He didn¡¯t believe me.

    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t be trying to trick my sister with your¡ªhey! I was talking!¡± The shout at the end grew more distant even as Rose¡¯s voice drowned it out.

    ¡°Hush Levi! Ginny, is that you?¡±

    I winced at the volume, her excitement reached me from across the stars and fused me with warmth. There was no mistaking her voice and bubbling enthusiasm or the genuine happiness and hope in her voice.

    ¡°Hey friend, how''s your mom doing?¡±

    Rose squealed. ¡°Ginny! It''s so good to hear your voice! Mom is doing well! I can hardly believe it. The doctors were completely stumped. You should have seen their faces¡­¡± She rattled on, talking my ear off.

    I curled up on my bed and listened as she shared what was happening in her life, no mention was made of the resistance but she touched on the war. Things were grim but she held out hope the Coalition forces would relieve their besieged country soon.

    We talked for hours before she had to go, then I lay in bed thinking. It was a dangerous pastime for me, I know. Much like the rest of my life. I¡¯d come a long way from the back alleys of Radon. I hugged my pillow as I thought about my best friend back when I was still a child. I could still see it in my mind, the sneer on Cidny¡¯s face when she¡¯d told her how she¡¯d used her. Jordan Davis, her boyfriend at the time had been cheating on her with her best friend, working a con which had ultimately implicated her in a burglary of the place she worked. Her ID card, stolen by her boyfriend, had given the thieves access and sent her to juvie.

    ¡°But I have a new best friend,¡± I told myself. ¡°And she¡¯s nothing like Cindy.¡±

    I smiled at the thought. Maybe it''s not so bad to hope a little bit. I¡¯d promised Rose that I¡¯d visit her again, and the charming folks of New Port. I¡¯d had a lot more fun with the latter but hadn¡¯t connected so deeply with any of them. Benedict, Frederick, and Allison had formed a connection and I¡¯d consider them friends. Even the boys, I smiled as I remembered their antics. Even if I was alone right now, I had friends.

    The jury was still out on Grant and Helena, but I wanted to like them. Helena was quieter and shy at first but seemed to warm up to me and Grant, well I¡¯d had a blast almost beating him at the pool, and he was attractive too. I didn¡¯t know if I¡¯d ever be able to trust someone fully with my heart again, but a lot of strange things had happened to me lately. It wasn¡¯t beyond the realms of possibilities.

    Grant was attractive. I would just have to ignore that for now. That didn¡¯t mean some harmless flirting wasn¡¯t allowed but we¡¯d see how things went once I met his father. I knew quite well how split loyalties could turn even seemingly honorable men like the Holden brothers against me. I cursed them again in my head for trying to play with my emotions before rolling over. I was safe and we were on our way to Calico. My worries could take a hike, I¡¯d deal with them some other day.

 Epilogue

    The Star Hammer, one of the newest and latest ships off the line, was in shambles. Repair crews hustled about trying to make repairs. The devastating cyber attack had hit them out of nowhere, completely disabling the ship. Weapons and communications had been first, then the intercom system, and then every system had gone offline when the computers were hit. He still had no idea how they had done it. There weren¡¯t even fragments in the hard drive to retrieve, they were completely wiped.

    They had managed to link to the network and download software to repair the damage to those systems, but countless malfunctions had occurred as the systems went haywire and nothing had shut down properly. Then the follow-up attack hit them.

    Every weapon had been completely trashed, either stripped off the haul or melted to slag. From their biggest guns, right down to the smallest point defense system. It wouldn¡¯t have been so bad if the engines hadn¡¯t been torn into a mangled mess of scrap metal.

    They couldn''t even request assistance from the locals, not that he could have if he was inclined to. Despite being the Captain, his ship had essentially been commandeered by that idiotic Commander and he refused to accept help from inferior beings. Idiot. Nothing had gone wrong until he¡¯d arrived.

    Everything was still a mess even now that the computers were back online. The hanger bay hadn¡¯t escaped their queries notice. Fires still burned down there.

    ¡°Captain! If you don¡¯t get this ship underway in the next hour, I¡¯ll have your head!¡±

    The Captain looked around the bridge at his cowering officers. They had been subject to insults and berated for no reason as the imbecile tried to tell them how to do their jobs, inadvertently lowering their efficiency and slowing everything down.

    ¡°Commander, I¡¯ll remind you, you relieved me of command some time ago. I¡¯m just an observer until the hearing and Fleet Headquarters rules otherwise.¡±

    The veins in the Commander''s neck pulsed dangerously. ¡°This is an emergency!¡±

    The Captain caught the communications officer''s eye and signaled him out of sight behind his back to cut the feed. Then met the Commander¡¯s face squarely. ¡°Yes. This is an emergency. One you flew us into with glee if I recall. Almost makes me wonder if you¡¯re not intentionally sabotaging the ship.¡±

    ¡°What did you say?¡± he demanded.

    The Captain saw his chance and took it. It was a dangerous gamble, but he was sick of dealing with this good-for-nothing windbag. It wouldn¡¯t take much, the Commander was already close to snapping.

    ¡°If you need a hint on how to solve this situation, Commander, it''s simple. Just demand what you need to repair the ship from the locals.¡±

    ¡°Do it,¡± The Commander snapped.Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

    As the order went out the Captain lit the tinder. ¡°Even an infant could have figured that out.¡±

    The commander snapped. ¡°I¡¯ll kill you, you insubordinate little¡ª¡± The Commander drew his sidearm. The Captain moved. He jumped forward and grabbed hold of the Commander¡¯s wrist, the sidearm fired, drowning out the rest of his insult. Before the Commander knew what was happening, the blade concealed in the Captain¡¯s sleeve pierced his side. The Captain thrust the blade in and out like a piston venting his rage.

    He released his hold on the Commander and his dead body crumbled to the ground. The Commanders'' two aides by the door were similarly stabbed from behind by the guards stationed by the bridge, who followed their Captain¡¯s lead.

    ¡°Now,¡± he cleared his throat and straightened his uniform. ¡°Let''s be about things. Are the bridge cameras still offline?¡±

    ¡°Yes, Captain.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll have to see about getting those fixed when we have a moment won¡¯t we?¡±

    His crew chuckled nervously but they were smiling.

    ¡°Captain, the locals are refusing to give us the aid we demanded.¡±

    ¡°No matter, that¡¯s fine. We don¡¯t need it.¡± He chuckled. That had only been a ploy to mess with the Commander. ¡°Now¡ª¡± He was cut off as an explosion rocked the ship. ¡°What was that?¡±

    ¡°Sir we are under fire!¡±

    ¡°What! Who is attacking us?¡± His mind raced. Had that demon returned with her ship?

    ¡°Shields at thirteen percent!¡±

    ¡°Who is attacking us?¡± he demanded.

    ¡°The local station sir, they declared us pirates and opened fire,¡± the young technician said in a small voice.

    The Captain felt his blood run cold, then the ship bucked violently and he was thrown from his feet. He slammed into the deck plates and everything went dark. When he woke up, everything was a haze. Smoke pooled around the ceiling and explosions sounded in the distance drowning out the small arms fire.

    ¡°Captain! Boarders have taken the engine room,¡± one of his young ensigns informed him even as he helped him to his feet.

    ¡°What¡¯s our status?¡±

    The lights flickered and then died. ¡°They just shut down the power plants, sir. We can¡¯t win.¡±

    That was true, most of their boarding forces had been wiped out by that demon girl. Emergency backup generators kicked in, casting a ruby glow around the ship as the red lighting came alive. He thought about it for a long moment. His murder of a superior would be investigated if they survived. Even with the bridge cameras offline, there was a high chance he¡¯d get caught. The bridge was full of witnesses. They were loyal, but it only took one to spill the secret, and the Enforcers could be very persuasive.

    The ship was overrun and they were declared pirates. It was like some twisted joke. He composed himself and turned to his young ensign. ¡°Get me a shipwide channel.¡±

    He ordered all hands to lay down their weapons and made a statement to the borders declaring that the ship had been under the command of a lunatic, who had given the order to demand supplies. He told them he¡¯d orchestrated a coup and then surrendered the ship to them. It was his only hope to save his neck.

    He compiled a different report and sent it to his superiors over the quantum link blaming the Commander for everything. It was frowned upon to accuse a superior and you had to have evidence. The loss of a brand-new dreadnought would be all the evidence they needed.

    The Commander didn¡¯t even protest. The Captain snorted. That would be a feat seeing as how the Commander was dead.

    Little did he know what the humans would do with his stricken ship or the secrets they would learn from the advanced Triv technology contained within. He was far more concerned with worries about his own neck.

    The End of Book One.