“How would Eden Fleet data help you?”
“If you don't already know then you're in worse shape than we are,” he pressed the interface pad on his command and control unit to open an internal link. “Security. Dress Minister Lorne in a disposable vacsuit and toss him out the airlock with a portable beacon immediately.”
“This won't do much for your relationship with us Jacob,” Minister Timmer warned.
“Then share something that will give us some direction. The worse the risk that I'll get jumped by Eden Fleet ships while we're going after sensitive Regent Galactic assets, the less likely I am to hit more effective targets. In other words, the more I know, the more I'll be able to help.”
“I couldn't clear that with our Intelligence Agency.”
“You're the Minister of Defence, if you can't find a loophole, make one.”
“That's not going to happen. Is there anything else I can offer you?”
“You've lost access to the majority of resources, one of your senior staff has shown a hostile disposition towards my crew and you're in no position to offer the kind of rewards I require. I'm not interested in doing charity work, Minister. You'll know where to pick up Lorne.”
“That's the end of our relationship then?”
“If you're not willing to share intelligence then we're done. A little advice though; don't do anything that could even look threatening, that includes sending spies aboard my ship. I'll send them back, but you won't like the shape they're in. Captain Valance out.”
Cynthia closed the channel and went about her business.
“Sir, the Minister is in an emergency vacsuit, we're ready to follow your orders,” came the message from Security.
Jake sat back in his chair and thought for a moment. “Double check his seals and the beacon then send him out. They'll send a shuttle for him.”
“Aye sir.”
That was either the best or worst decision I've made since boarding the Triton. On one hand dead limbs have to be cut off, and the Aucharians are definitely necrotic. On the other I'm in no condition to turn away a potential friend. The memory of the Minister demanding command of the Triton returned then and he shook his head. I had to make a statement. They have to know I can't be walked on. They're desperate enough to listen if I open communications with them again. Still, watching this play out is going to be interesting. I really have no idea what their reaction will be. Jake thought as he rubbed the end of his white silk scarf between his thumb and forefinger.
“Captain, we're getting very strange signals from the Clever Dream. It's uploading something,” Cynthia said from her station.
“Send me the header,” Jake ordered as he looked at his command unit. The header began scrolling and he brought it up holographically so he could see the whole transmission in all its layers. “Cut power to our receiver!” he ordered. “Shut it down!”
Cynthia floundered for a moment then started working. “It'll take a couple minutes sir.”
“Too long.” He turned to the engineering station. “If you can find a faster way, then do it. I don't care if we have to rebuild the secondary array.”
The woman at the engineering station, assigned by Chief Grady, worked the controls and communicated with engineering directly. A few seconds later she looked up from her station. “It's done.”
The communications station screens went blank, all holographic images disappeared at the same time. Cynthia sat back. “What did you do?”
“We cut power to the array and comms.”
“Navnet's down. We can still hold station just fine, but if port control wants us to get out of someone else's way-” Ashley said, working with Larry to increase the detail of their sensor sweeps.
“Do the best you can.”
“We have docking operations underway!” Paula called up.
“All right,” Captain Valance replied, standing up and glaring at Paula. “That header was some kind of virus. It was already starting to connect with one of the ship artificial intelligences. So here's what's going to happen. We're going to delete any trace of that upload and put a filter in place that will only accept voice transmissions. It will block all operational data files.”
“Aye sir,” Cynthia said as her team started working. “I'll get everyone on it.”
“How long before we have communications?” Paula asked.
“About two minutes,” Cynthia replied.
“Not fast enough. What are my people supposed to do down there? Wave them in?”
“Calm down, I'm sure the Chief knows how to wave incomers off. We have lights and one way emergency transmitters for that.” Captain Valance reassured Paula hastily.
“What kind of ship loses communications in the middle of-”
“Everyone's doing the best they can, and if that was a virus meant to do damage to the ship or crew through our ship artificial intelligences then we'd have one hell of a lot more to deal with. Now get your eyes back on your station or get off my bridge,” Captain Valance said firmly.
Assistant Chief Paula Mendle looked back down at her screens muttering; “aye Captain.”
Captain Valance's personal communicator beeped mildly, indicating he had an incoming transmission. “Yes,” he said quietly.
“It's Liam. One of the on board AI's just tried to take control of a generator. We deleted it and its brother AI. I didn't have time to work on a more elegant solution through communications and intelligence.”
“That's all right. I'm wondering, aren't those artificial intelligences the most basic, minimally functioning thinking programs?”
“Aye sir, but they were infected with something. We had to delete that as well. I'd hate to see what that infection would do to a more complex AI.”
“We might just see it yet. Why are you on private comms with me on this?”
“I wanted to minimize anxiety and I wanted advice on how to proceed with our new intelligence operations department. In previous positions I've found doing another department's job can cause difficulties.”
“Go ahead and tell them what happened. How are our civillians doing?”
“They're working on the botanical garden while soldiers clear apartments for them.”
“Well, wish them luck for me. I'd spend an hour or so down there myself, but the bridge is busy.”
“Oh, I understand. I'm on for at least another eight hours in engineering before I see my bed again. I'll contact the bridge if there are any other developments.”
“Thank you Chief Grady.”
“One more thing. You should start thinking about a memorial service for everyone who lost family on Enreega and for Jonas.”
“When the dust clears Chief.”
“Aye. Chief Grady out.”
Pathia City
“I'm never taking on refugees again,” Alice said as they walked down the main gangway from the Clever Dream. “Well, unless they really don't have anywhere else go to.”
Frost laughed and nodded. “That's why they call 'em refugees, I'm thinkin'.”
She was walking between him and Stephanie, who had been quiet the entire way down, even while guiding the sixty seven refugees off the ship onto the orbital station.
After they had guided the sixty or so refugees off the ship onto the orbital station they moved on to land in Pathia, a dusty city centred around a large domed colony ship that hadn't moved since it landed. The surrounding buildings were made out of scrap metal, concrete made from the fine white sands and other improvised materials. The streets looked like a maze of squares from above, all random sizes and placements.
There were no docking fees due and as soon as the Clever Dream landed a crew attached refuelling hoses.
