“The reason the ship woke military assets is because another vessel is in system.” The Warborg makes a comment not a question in a monotone mechanical voice. It has been studying the information since she spoke to it.
Alexis lifts up her metal arm that was resting on the console to another. Side thought she is glad the main ship cleaners are now active so the smell in the room is not foul, she noticed the difference when it was outside. “What information has it got for us on it? Bring it up.” She could not fully understand the data that was being shown. Sniffling she wipes a drop of blood from her nose not even noticing it.
The huge holotank comes on in the middle of the bridge with the lower part blurred from failed parts. It shows the system and her vessel is near the fifth world in system while there is a vessel marked out by the sixth. There are seven worlds in the system. The outer part of the system has a large asteroid belt.
Alexis looks over even with the occasional blur the markers show the ship is heading in their direction. She acts as a devil’s advocate, “We sent a second one here?”
The inhuman face of the Warborg turns to her, “There is a large structure out there orbiting the seventh planet. A message was broadcasting and it used the Democratic Capitalists League code.
“The Fascists are here?”
The machine voice, “Yes and should be here in two weeks. We have to plan our defense.”
“We have to defrost the crew. How long will it take?”
“The systems needed will take time without full data on the condition of the crew modules. We need the other units operational to aid us.”
Alexis blanches, “You mean the other…”
“Yes commander, the other Warborgs. This unit cannot activate them, only you can.”
“I have too?”
“Only military personal have the authority to do it.”
She really doesn’t want to have more of the killing machines around but the need to protect herself from what the corrupt and evil Capitalist would do to them outweighs her resistance. She has heard all about what they do to woman from the news programs and does not want to, or allow herself to become a victim. Her hand unconsciously strokes the weapon at her belt.
The going back to the shuttle takes a short amount of time. Alexis used both hands getting more use to the mechanical limb. She also puts on a top since she has been working often topless due to trouble with the arm.
Once they arrive Alexis puts in her code in to the machines. She tries her right hand in typing as painful as it is. The large black metal capsules shift from storage position. One of them hisses from a bad seal somewhere. Electronics behind move as the containers open. Both Warborg bodies are not the same as Unit Four’s but are Tiger instead of Wolf organic elements. Unit One and Two Artificial Intelligence cores come out of storage and slide in to place causing a jerk as they go in.
Alexis makes sure not to look at them too much with them coming out as disgusting and injured visually as Unit Four. Thankfully they do not yet smell like the previous one had. She looks at the display of the one that did not open and finds it listing the body as deceased over 100 years ago.
The two new Warborgs are Unit One and Unit Two. They go over to their systems slowly checking out all parts are working. Unit One’s right arm does not look to be working right when it first came out.
Unit Four walks to Alexis, “It is time for your maintenance while the other units work up.”
Alexis looks up, “What?”
“Your replacement limb.”
The woman lifts the metal and blinks, “I have to?”
“If the liquid in there turn other colors it is serious issue. The liquid must be refreshed at times or waste organic material could cause infection. Infection could require more drastic corrective measures that would remove you from active service.”
The machine drains and refills the arm using supplies that are for the borg machine. Alexis helps with the process as it talks her though it. Then she is shown the battery pack that powers the arm and how to replace it.
Alexis and the Warborg go back to the other two to help with the glitch in the Warborg’s arm. It is nothing serious and fixed after a short time.
With the main computer up the four are able to tap in to the condition of the crew and colonist life signs. Alexis finds the people on the ship have aged but there is no standard to it. The cryogenic programs work differently on each person. The bodies still age while frozen but it depends on the process and the equipment used. The Warborgs have the most effective modules freezing the body lower but at a cost to the animal organics that would be not be tolerable to human physiology. The military ones are next more effective with plenty of backup systems keeping the body fit and younger but at a cost of more energy and size. The Colonist ones use the least with nowhere near the same backup or energy and so the age of those in them often can be startlingly variable but generally are older then the rest of the ship compliment. The people themselves also effect it with some genes allowing the body to get colder without damage then others that was not fully understood by science at the time of their leaving the Sol system over 300 solar cycles ago.
With the priority to get the ship operational Alexis and the Warborgs sift through the crew list for technical personal and how their vital signs are. A few of the best personal are not alive or their vitals list them as questionable. While the Warborgs are good help she has to input her codes to release the Crew as the machines have no authority and are considered tools.
Alexis inputs the codes on the first priority, a medical personal with the name Celujo. The man looks to be in early forties but is listed a good decade younger. She removes the IV and tabs as he is waking up. The man’s eyes open and surprise shows when he sees her. His first comment has fear in his voice, “I have been pure to the society.”
Alexis is silent for a moment puzzled before asking, “Why did you say that?”
The nearly nude man shifts uncomfortable, “I was just surprised is all. I did not think we would need military personal active this mission.”
Alexis had forgotten the uniform she wears. With the Warborgs active she dares not correct the mistaken identity. “The situation is not as it was suppose to. There was an accident and we are well out of date for our flight. I need you to check the conditions of the personal. We need to get this ship back operational rapidly as possible.”
“I will do my best.” He gets up wobbly at first.
Alexis puts her metal hand on him causing him to flinch. “Calm down I am not going to do anything to you. I just was helping.”
He straightens and rubs where the metal grip was. “Forgive me.”
“I will want you to check out all of us as soon as you can. Get those that can work out and we will have to leave the rest frozen.”
“Just the ones with SIN?”
“The ones best suited and condition no matter what list. I will need a list, but engineers are priority.” She sets down a dataslate.
He takes it and goes to get prepared and finish recovering.
Alexis thinking has the next item on her agenda and that is something she does not need, but wants done.
The Warborgs are taken to the ship showers and given a triple allotment of water for cleaning them up. The two new ones are given some minor bandages to cover the worst of the freeze damage they suffered.
Alexis also has her uniforms cleaned up thinking she will need to maintain the front of herself in the military. She thinks she should look the part of an officer of the great defenders of the country.
Alexis checks on Celujo afterwards finding the man working in the main cyro area unfreezing the needed crewmen. Seven people are in various stages of recovering. He is busy checking vitals of a module when she walks up.
He speaks after glancing back. “I am working as fast as I can to get them ready.”
She almost bashfully says, “It is not that. It’s my arm.”
Celujo looks up at her and the metal limb, “The prosthetic one?”
She flexes the hand almost unconsciously, “Yes.”
She motions him in to another room to be out of sight of the crew who were glancing at her worried. Before letting him look at it.
His brow furrows as he inspects it, “Whoever did this…”
The woman interrupts him, “It was an emergency done on the shuttle.”
This gets renewed interest in it by the man. After a minute he asks some questions that she can’t answer telling him she will have to get back to him with the answer. Finally he releases it, “It works and honestly we do not have the medical bay to do anything as well as what you have. I would have just removed it all and refrozen you as incapable of working.” Self-consciously he adds. “When we get back they could do more. The Party rewards the military well.”
“We are still a century away from that.”
It takes a minute for the medical tech to understand and grin amused at her humor.
Later on that day Alexis is in the shuttle with the Warborgs. The shuttle’s small holotank listed the environmental system abilities. It can handle 32 people, pushing it could allow up to 50 but not for long. The woman rubs her short hair wishing those numbers were different.
One of the machines leans over and clicks a switch. The display blurs and is replaced by the vessel around the planet. Eyes are drawn to another marker, angry red, showing the incoming Capitalist vessel.
Unit two begins, “With tactical assessment of what we have to work with it is imperative this ship not be allowed to be taken. Unfreezing the CIN and use them as unskilled combatants would allow this ship the best chance of not being taken. A human wave to weaken the enemy.”
Alexis cuts off the machine. “I will not sacrifice any of the citizens of our great country. We can handle 45 within reason. Our medical operative has given his list of those in best condition and we will pick the ones that can handle a fight.”
The reason of the argument is not just due to the life support but the Cyro process. It can’t be applied for a month safely after defrosting. They could try after two weeks but the person could expect long-term damage from it. It takes time for the body to change out those cells that have been frozen and unfrozen otherwise they can rupture. Death would be almost guaranteed in the process.
Unit Two, “They were to be disposed of anyways following protocol. The additional CIN personal for only the short time would strain the system but they can be jettisoned right after combat is finished with an excuse to the SIN of vessel damaged causing their loss.”
“We are not, and I repeat not going to let our own people die on purpose.” Alexis glares at the machine, not that it has any effect.
The feline machine’s oculars twirl then it replies, “Understood. You are unlike our normal military liaisons. Most of them care little about anyone without a MIN number. And they are taller.”
The woman glares at the Unit but before she can say more Unit Four offers her a data slate. She looks at it and then at Unit One, “Are you sure?”
“Scanners are clear with the help of the unfrozen crew. It is the RX-39 Conformity. It is still broadcasting engine hull identity code. That sort of ship was designed for when a colony was made to bring in more construction equipment and infrastructure. It left Sol system 30 solar cycle before this ship did by records our records.”
Alexis looks over, “So it returns and those Fascists captured it. Now it is being abused for their own capitalistic goals. We most likely can not take it back but at least they will not take this one if I can help it.”
Unit Four, “Agreed Ally. These units will never allow it to happen.”
Listening to that makes Alexis have a worry. She asks, “What is the protocol for such an event?” Her own mind brings up such commands for it after she says that.
Unit One, “We blow the fuel tanks crippling or destroying the vessel.”
The young female pauses now wanting this not to happen. She thinks then says. “Only when I give the codes will the ship be destroyed, that is an order.”
The machines agree to follow the young woman’s order without question of her own motives.
The four once more talk about how to defend the ship without mass use of people with the one human in the group countering parts of the plans offered for moral reasons.
It has been two days after the unfreezing of so many crewmembers. The bridge is a hive of activity with all the stations manned. The crew is busy with repairs and preparations for the coming ship. Alexis is in the command chair looking over the information in different readouts.
Being the captain on the ship is a headache in so many ways Alexis is not trained for. Many of the crew is on edge with her and the 3 creatures around. One Warborg stands outside the bridge, its presence on the bridge was causing issues so Alexis ordered it off. Her issues with them are just as bad if not worse with the regular crew as the doctor showed her when he seen her uniform. Often Alexis nearly hides in the chair with the displays obscuring herself so they work without looking over their shoulder all the time.
There is nearly a dozen of the crew at the holotank talking over something as Alexis is busy trying to understand the life support system and what repairs they are doing to it. A constant drone of voices is in the background covers mutterings the crew gives in her direction.
The feet catch Alexis’s attention as she working. They kept stopping then walking away before finally stopping in front of her. Looking up it is one Communication Specialists named Tirallo. She is a dark-haired woman with a hawk nose. The freezing age was kind to her leaving her still looking in her low thirties.
Tirallo spots the short woman’s eyes on her. She licks her lips before speaking. “Main array 4 is still down due to bad wiring. It will take us at least another three shifts of personal to run the lines.”
Alexis turns and hits some keys to bring up the array display and makes a quick assumption based on the woman’s job. “We do not need it for communications.”
Tirallo blinks, “Pardon, Captain, but it does more then that.”
Alexis reads the display on it after hearing that. She rubs her ear as she reads finding it also is the radar for a large area on one side of the vessel. Her headache only seem to increase with each report.
Reading up she does not see the crew looking in her direction. The faces have kept their mask but of few slip showing disdain more then those showing fear.
“Am… Yes we will need it. I authorize the crews to do so.” She tried to make it sound like she is in charge but the uncertainty could be heard.
Tirallo nods and goes off to her station. The woman has a smirk and a sway of having shown the shrimp up.
Alexis watches the woman think over all the stuff she does not know. She shakes her head and goes back to the life support numbers. She does have a number of military ideas of combat coming to her mind that she does not remember studying.
Many of the bridge crew had watched the encounter and the murmuring afterwards is only partially on the job, most about the ‘Captain’.
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Four days later the bridge is again a hive of activity. There is an undercurrent of tension that is more then normal.
Crewman Senior Melrin walks in causing the background noise to spike. He was older then most before leaving, now with the time spend frozen he looks like a wizen old man.
The Warborg outside has not shifted as he passed by it with a nondescript man holding a tool kit.
Melrin nods to the man who sets down the toolkit and works on the Bridge door control. The man works on the door mechanism with more enthusiasm.
It takes a minute before the man stands up smiling.
They leave the tools walking toward the middle. One female peels away from the holotank and joins the two in front of Alexis.
Alexis does not notice them looking at a new alert that has come to a display on one side. She looks up to try to pinpoint what it was about when she sees the three standing in front of her.
Alexis is so busy with the information she is getting from the chair she just waves the man off. “Write up a report on it and I will be with it when I get to it.”
Crewman Senior Melrin steps forward and clears his throat. “With all respects to your training, and position, there is an issue.”
The woman in the chair sighs, “What is behind on repairs this time?”
The man looks to those flanking him gaining strength from their presence. “I am sorry but this about the chair. The crew does not believe you should be in it. I am asking you to step down.”
Alexis looks up from the displays and almost growls, “Why?” Her fingers hit a few keys as she stares at the man.
“We need the labor force to get the ship fully operational. That is what they are for and you have refused to use them.”
The shorter woman freezes, the man talking to her takes it as a sign of weakness. He continues “You do not know the ship and your lack is causing more delays in getting it fully operational. I know the ship and I will let you defend the ship but the crew needs me in charge right now.”
The displays retreat leaving Alexis in full view. The black uniform makes one guy who worked on the door back off a step, Melrin and the female keep their ground.
“You see this uniform. It was given to me. The Party has given me the authority to command.” The metal arm hits the padding on the seat.
The Bridge crew is silent now. Reports come in but no one replies. All eyes are on the showdown with the four.
“That might be the case but your orders are contrary to protocols. We feel it best for you to voluntarily for… We could say medical reasons and let us take over.”
Alexis pulls out the diskshooter with a rapid motion. The rage she felt caused her finger to tighten on the firing stuff accidentally. It has a whirring sound as the weapon powers up to discharge its ammunition. No disks fire out thankfully at this time. The three freeze in terror at the showing of aggressiveness. The others in the bridge have been silent but some now cry out in fear.
“Now listen to me crewmen!” Her voice booms in her own ears. “You are not in charge and will not be as long as I am here. My orders will be followed, do you heard me?”
The bridge door squeals open causing all eyes to turn there. The metal frame of Warborg Unit Two has forced it open and points one of the large weapons in to the bridge.
There is a general moan of terror from the crew.
Alexis smirks putting away her own weapon not realizing it failed to fire. “Unit Two who is in command?”
The Warborg still has its weapon leveled, “This unit will follow the lawful command of the military only.” The fact the Warborg did not put up its weapon away might have had a major effect on one of the crew having an embarrassing wet spot on her clothes.
The fans in the bridge begin to work on overdrive from the sudden increase in CO2.
Alexis has a smile that no one could call kind, “So you see I am in charge.”
She paces forward and the two who had been standing firm back away.
Melrin gulps. He looks around and finds no one meeting his gaze in support. The man normally does not stutter but starts now, “I was only thinking of the ship. Please don’t…”
Alexis turns and walks back to the chair. Her inner rage takes a minute to settle and she covers it with slowly sitting down. The short woman glares at the crew before softening her features. “You were thinking what was best for the ship. I will not fault you, this time.”
The fear in the room eases with her announcement.
Alexis continues, “I am in command and what I says happens. Get back to work now.”
There is a pregnant pause before the bridge crew personal finds their stations very interesting.
Crewman Melrin is like a deer in the headlights frozen staring at the woman in the black uniform. The female who was backing him up pulls him breaking the spell. They both retreat outside of the Bridge skirting past the Warborg.
The machine keeps on the Bridge thereafter. Another of the machines covers the Captain’s cabin where Alexis sleeps.
The ship systems come online much better with the larger crew fixing many of the subsystems more rapidly and with greater knowledge of what they are doing.
Alexis spends a lot of time on the ship Bridge but she does go to the cabin to rest. She might have wanted to keep in the shuttle but with the controls the Captain’s cabin was logical and nearly mandatory for her be there. The soft bed and its own full restroom is a big plus to her.
Even with all the work Alexis still has some free time. During such times she uses the entertainment shows the Party has loaded in the ship’s computer. Even those are hard for Alexis after feeling the bite of betrayal she has had. Checking other parts of the computer gets her to a section on the planet they orbit.
The subsections of the computer operated even with the main system down. The massive recordings hold over a century of detailed information on the planet. Probes launched and gave even more detailed information on specific spots on the planet.
The weather patterns are well documented. Alexis can see where most storms are likely to be. The atmosphere is breathable to human life, but not the most comfortable with some numbers of the elements in it on the edges of human tolerance. The temperature of the planet would put it in an ice age with large glacial caps going most of the way to the equator.
Gathering information was not the only thing done with the probes. Seeding pods were launched introducing Terran plants to the land and fish to the world’s water. The records show how some areas had the plants grow and expand while a few others do not take. There is a forest of Oaks now in one valley. The fish are harder to quantify until new probes are launched.
Idling Alexis starts sticking names to parts of the planet often giggling over them. She labeled people she knew and friends along with all the personal of the ship, even those lost to parts of the planet. The coldest regions got the military ones that she never met and never will know. The warmest areas are given to the CIN, those that would have been left on the world if things had happen as her government had planned. She does leave large amounts of the world unlabeled when she saves her choices.
In the dark of the night a sobering thought hits her about what will happen on Earth. The Party will not like that she has defied their orders. Whey get back home there will be a lot of trouble for her and her father’s actions of the ship. He is long dead so she will get the full wrath of the betrayal.
An alarm goes off during one of these times. It is one of the immediate information needed for her.
Alexis opens the communication unit, “What is it?”
“This is Celujo. There is another death.”
Alexis sniffles, “How did it happen?”
“It was just like the other six. They were fully active and articulate. Unfrozen for a week with some minor issues of bleeding often ignored. Bleeding started uncontrollably from the nose and ears then death. No external sores.”
Thinking back to her own training with Opio Alexis has to ask. “Could it be drugs?”
“No drugs in the computer listing would do this. No disease could have lasted through our training and travel. Frankly I am stumped.”
“Another crew member?”
The man sounds patience but a bit of fear comes to his voice. “As I said no outside source. I cannot tell for sure but it does not look like anything we crew would have. Military…” He leaves the rest unsaid.
“I can assure you the Warborgs nor I have don’t anything to cause this. I have no secret orders either to such effects. On the Party I say this.”
It settles the man, “As you say then. It could be the environmental or even the travel. Radiation could be a cause even but I can not find a telltale of why.”
“Keep track and if others show signs do what you feel is best to keep everyone alive.”
“I should advise you morale is an issue.”
The short woman sighs, “Yes I know. We are all under a lot of strain. Do your duty and hopefully no one else will die of this mystery.”
The man cuts the communication. Alexis can bet he is saying something else to the blank screen. She can’t help it herself. “Do your damn job and keep them alive you hack. I don’t want them to die… I don’t want to.”
Chapter 7
It has been a few days since they finally got a fix on the other vessels in space. Knowing the ship was out there is was one thing but finding it took a long time and the ship is almost on them. While it is kilometers long space is far vaster and main array four kept going on the blink prevented them from knowing far sooner.
The Bridge has gotten a frantic feel to it. On the main holotank shows the other mammoth vessel at a stop a few thousand kilometers away. The vessel is nearly double the size of a RX-38. Its large red icon almost drowns out the 2 smaller ones that are coming toward them.
There are three combat teams led by Warborgs near the probable docking spots. The rest of the personal are on the bridge strapped in.
Alexis looks over to the communication section. “Have they tried to contact us?”
The raven-haired Tirallo replies in with a gravelly voice. “No. We have repeated several hails on different frequencies.”
It troubles Alexis that the Capitalists have not tried to communicate at all. That can only mean those shuttles are loaded with marines to board them. The arms locker has given the crew a number of diskshooters and the repair gear makes for decent makeshift weapons.
The shuttles are a few minutes away when the holotank display changes. Instead of showing the shuttles coming it has lists of information scrolling down.
Alexis cries out in surprise almost in chorus with others, “What happened?”
A blonde man whose name Alexis did not learn looks over to her from his console, “The automatic information network activated.”
Alexis looks to him then realizes that that means. The system is sharing information with the Fascists learn everything about them by computer warfare.
She growls, “Lock them out.”
The people in that section are busy typing. The information keeps scrolling for precious minutes before stopping. The blonde is almost sweating when he looks back to her.
“We have stopped it. Captain they used Party standard code to get in.”
“If they get ours we should be able to get theirs right?”
The blonde nods and returns to works his station along with two others.
Alexis worries as the minutes go on. The short woman really is over her head but has time to slowly try to piece herself together as time is going in slow motion.
The crew is still working when everyone hears the clambering ring of the collision alert. Docking computer flashes to life, the Capitalists have gotten in to it and set it on automatic from the lock down Alexis had ordered. Mechanical clamps and collars thud through the hull as connects sync with the shuttles of the Fascists. The holotank shifts to a map of the Classless Society. Each shuttle has docked at different ends almost simultaneously.
Alexis voice cuts the silence that follows, “Situation?”
The blonde man sounds frustrated, “The Conformity’s computer is denying access to our efforts. The codes have been changed.”
“Can you break the codes?” Alexis asks but has a sinking feeling. The training of the People would prevent the skills needed to succeed in such an endeavor but Alexis can hope. She wishes she had released Groerge but it is to late now to get that Elitist… She blinks realizing what she is thinking. Before she can mull over those thoughts the crew around her start talking.
The blonde man is first, “I will give it my best.”
Tirallo pipes in with a gravelly voice, “Unit One reports engaging the enemy.”
Alexis hits buttons on her chair and displays come to life of the section Unit One is in.
The Fascists have powered suits that seem to ignore many of the small arms fire the crew was equipped with. It looks like there is confusion in the boarding party from how well her crew is trying to repulse them.
There is a report of Unit Two’s group engaging the enemy. Reports come in that the Warborg lead teams are doing well when the whole ship shakes. Thrusters are activating as the ship spirals out of its orbit. The restraint harness keeps Alexis along with the rest of the Bridge crew in their seats.
Alexis is bringing up displays to find out what happened when Tirallo make a loud gasp. “What?” Tirallo’s voice strains with emotion, “Level 34 just depressurized. But…”
The confusion in the Bridge is silent once more hearing that.
Alexis swings over to view the woman, “Who are you talking to?”
Tirallo looks back, “It is the Warborg. It is contacting by its radio.”
“How many did we lose? Where is it?”
Tirallo is checking then turns with an ashen face, “Everyone, everyone there. Even the Warborg.”
The short woman doesn’t get it. “You are talking to it. How can they all be lost?”
The raven-haired woman has tears in her eyes. “It’s drifting away from the ship. They all were sucked in to space.”
The stunned quiet changes and even Alexis gasped feeling like she was hit.
Yevette, another woman on the engineering team of the bridge looks up, “But Curitti is there. He can’t be lost.” The woman begins to unstrap herself, “I got to go to him.”
Alexis yells at the woman amidst the increasing clamor on the bridge, “Sit down!” In a lower tone she continues, “We will look for him as soon as we can but you have to stay here at your station.”
Yevette looks over and pleads, “But its, its Curitti.”
“Sit! Tirallo check on survivors and get your team to check the seals. Communications isn’t needed now.” Alexis looks back to see how Unit Two is doing. The bridge crew settles down to follow her orders. There is one or two the keep glancing at her. Tirallo goes off as ordered.
The camera view of the fight shows the Warborg is center of the fight near level 4. The armored Fascists figures look to be using tools not weapons. Alexis notices something that catches her eye. One of the crew is fighting with his own diskthrower and shaking it. A few others are also looking at their weapons confused. None of them are firing them. She watches this for a minute before moving to her own weapon.
She has to take off the harness to get it out. The ship has stabilized from the depressurization earlier. The one she carries, the same as earlier, is an egg shaped weapon of flat black color. It fires simple disks coated with paralysis toxin from a sealed magazine. The range and power are not good but on a ship’s tight quarters in a vacuum they are not needed or desired. She points it covertly at an empty seat of the communication station and presses the firing stud. There is a whir sound but nothing comes out. Checking its safety is off she then purses her lips putting it away saying nothing. No one else notices as they busily work at their stations.
The blonde man yells, “No no!”
Alexis looks over trying to bringing up the data he has on the console to hers even as she speaks, “Report.”
The man is still typing madly on his keyboard before the monitor blanks out, “They are doing more to us.”
Data show all the hatches are being remotely opened. Alexis is puzzling what that is for when lighting in the Bridge changes. The crew is confused and then even more alarmed when displays start to blank out. She stands up panning her view at what has happened, even her chair is not immune shutting down with displays still deployed.
One of the crew cries out the obvious. “They took over our system. They have shut down controls here.”
Alexis looks around with the glow of the few working emergency lights that are still working and calls out, “Everyone out! We go to the other stations.”
The short woman is the first one outside of the Bridge and waves her flesh arm for them to follow. Her removing of the harness earlier saved her as the blast doors slam shut while she is motion others to follow.
Alexis tries the controls on her side trying to get the door open. The display goes blank as those in the Bridge.
Disoriented by what has happened Alexis turns to go down when a ship wide automated message. “Emergency fire ventilation activating. Air will be sucked out in four minutes.”
She turns to the door. Her flesh hand was on it and she swears she could hear though it the cries of the crew trapped in there.
Wrecking her brain she can think of nothing she can do with how they have been able to take control of this ship’s computer. She looks down the corridor. All of the hatches are open so she starts running.
Air ventilators are whining as she passes them as they are sucking away the oxygen. She is not one to curse but now she gives serious thought to it. Panic sets in a bit as the speaker reaffirms the count down.
Alexis is running to the outer area of the ship and stops. A pain in her elbow causes her to pause and rub the connection from flesh to metal. The rushing and using it on ladders is more then she normally does with it. She looks at her metal arm in a renew spike of horror. Her thought of getting in to one of the space suits in the air locks. Now she realized with the prosthetic arm none of them would fit her.
Alexis leans on the wall and slides down, her legs out straight as her situation and options becomes narrower. The voice continues the countdown as her brain slowly is getting out of the dark corner.
The short woman might just stay there but a burst of movement catches her by surprise. Her left leg is kicked hard. She puts up her arms to ward off more blows as the figure goes over her.
The Communication specialist Tirallo runs literally right over the outspread legs and tumbles with a yelp.
Alexis gets up to see Tirallo dragging herself away pleading, “I didn’t mean to hit you. Please do not…”
“It is ok Tirallo. We got to…” Alexis stops in mid-sentence. She looks up, “Get up. Come on we got to go.”
Tirallo gets up at the order and numbly follows blathering about not meaning to assault Alexis.
Alexis interrupts her gravel voice almost yelling in frustration and out of breathe, “Stop that. We need the air if we are to make it.”
“Where are you taking me?”
Alexis points to one of the air locks. “The only place they can not control.”
The airlock requires Alexis to unlock and open. It takes her two times with the lightness of the air. Once inside Tirallo shivers.
The military shuttle has been shut down not needed after unloading weapons to the crew. With their presence its vents pump in life giving air. The lights go on all over the small vessel.
Alexis leads the woman to the cockpit and straps in “Get ready to undock. We are going to deal with them.”
Tirallo looks around confused, “But this is just a shuttle. They got two of them and a ship. By some ancient purgatory they even have control over our ship.”
“We are not powerless. Our great nation gave us teeth and this shuttle is it.” With the trouble before she learned how to operate the shuttle. It takes her precious minutes to power up the vehicle and unclamp from the main ship.
Tirallo sits in a side seat barely knowing the controls as an alarm rings when Alexis hits the military sensors and weapons controls. Alexis glances over just as worried as Tirallo looks.
The gravel voiced woman whispers, “Its too late for them.”
“They are not dead.”
Tirallo looks over with incredulous look. “But they were sucking the air out, suffocating them.”
Alexis has to keep her eyes on what she is doing using the metal limb is taxing and could be destructing if she got careless. “All the doors are open. It would mean the air gone out evenly and controlled. Once it hit a certain level they could stop it and prevent anyone from dieing. If they wanted to kill they would have kept the doors closed and us bottled up in small areas.”
“They want us alive?”
“The Capitalists want us alive for some reason. Most likely to interrogate and torture for fun, the monsters.”
The shuttle’s engines light up and slowly the shuttle comes out of the shadow of the Classless Society to see the other vessel. Alexis gets a feral smile betting the crew of the other ship is surprised as the shuttle was not docked where it should have been if they looked.
The targeting array on the shuttle gets readouts from the mothership and clear it already has a lock on the other ship. Alexis hits a stud on a control wand and the shuttle trembles as tracer shells head off to the Conformity. The shot is slightly off missing the huge vessel, but at the range they are at slightly means a good 10 kilometers.
Tirallo gasps watching the military woman coldly acting and even enjoying the weapons to kill others.