“You did that without even blinking,” he glanced to my arm. “Do you know how many people can actually single out and order nanites like that?”
I shook my head. “Can’t everyone?”
He laughed, and brought up on the big screen a whole 3D image of the vessel we were now in. This was a good shot, but now invading the ship were my ten thousand tiny little red dots…
“They’re invaders?” I asked standing to watch them.
“Yes, to the ships system at the moment they’re hostile, but wait…”
I sucked in a breath and did just that, I waited. Ten the first few red dots started to turn green. It was then like a wave as the rest followed.
X2717 Freighter AI system is now at my command. Xe spoke clearly to me.
That was fast!
They’re pros. She laughed at me.
Certainly seemed that way…
Then something changed… The green dots turned red again, then started to blink out.
Jai stood. “Fuck…”
“Hold on, I’m not done for yet.” I sat back down at the station and started to work. I wasn’t sure of everything I was doing, re-routing them to other sections of the ship. But they needed time that was all. I had to get them that at least.
I couldn’t read the code, it was too hard. I input commands after command…
The screen flashed before me.
Kyle, they’re dying? Xe said. I don’t understand?
The commands weren’t working.
ACCESS DENIED.
Loser! A voice said. You’re not the correct level!
I had no idea who this was, or where it came from.
That… Xe said. Is the freighters AI.
And the Nites died in droves. Shit!
I didn’t have much of a chance if I got this wrong now…
But when I tried again, nothing. The next wave of Nites died off. I was down to 8,262.
Xirob, anything you can offer me?
Maybe now’s time to use some of your quick points?
We need the ship, Hiroto said.
I looked to my character sheet, not really having the time to do this, like right now. But I quickly selected what I needed to see.
Name – Kyle Ranz – Age 18
Level = 25 TRAINEE
Respawns = 2
Memories = 96%
Internal AI chip = X Class
Nanites x 281,229
Body Type = Model 7812 A Class
Structural Integrity = Camite Silver Integration
Skin Strength = 49
Blood capacity = 48
Healing Speed = 52 TRAINEE HEALER
Health = 79%
Mana = 140
Strength = 72
Dexterity = 29
Intelligence = 79
Wisdom = 35
Charisma = 20
Luck = 94
Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.
Stat Points = 5
Quick Points = 3
Chosen Specialties
Battle Mage = Rank 56
Nanite Engineer = Rank 52
Kenosi = Rank 0 - Sparked
Skills =
I looked to the list and thought about how unorganised it actually was.
CAD Tech = ??
Foot Soldier = Rank 45
Merc Sniper = Rank 50
Mech Pilot = Rank 40
Negotiator = Rank 10
Shuttle Basics = Rank 3
Animal Handler = Rank 4
Deception = Rank 1
SPACE SICKNESS – YES YOU ARE STILL SICK.
XE – LEAD NITE
NANITE ARMY
NUMBERS = 2421
STRENGTH = 8
CORE ENERGY = LEVEL 78%
SKILLS =
RECONSTRUCTION EXPERTISE = RANK 4
MUSCLE HEALING = RANK 7
VIRAL FIGHTING – RANK 3
POISON RESISTANCE – RANK 5
I had been awarded 3 quick points, and some skill points from levelling. In the time, I’d been here so far I’d not really paid that much attention to what the system had thrown at me. Saving what I could till and assigning them in blocks. Now, I knew I needed to be smarter. I could assign the quick points if I wanted to, but I really wanted to level some more before I did that. Doubling my ranks now would be great, but if they were higher first that would have been much better.
I put my stat points into Intelligence making it = 84 then I added 1 quick point to it, doubling that to 168. Since mana didn’t do anything I added 1 point to Dexterity which at least meant I wouldn’t get as tired, and left me more in line with the others at 58.
I wish there was some way to steady myself against the rush. But that kind of increase filled my head with stars. I fought hard to keep tight hold of my vision, but it started to fail me, the stars growing much like an optical migraine would. I’d had a few in my time staring at too many computer screens.
“What did you do?” Jai asked.
I couldn’t answer him however. Instead I focussed on the screen and watched as the language of the ship started to make some sense. Some, mind you. There was a lot I still couldn’t work out. I needed more Intelligence to go with the knowledge, and my last point went to double Intelligence again = 336
RANK INCREASE - SHUTTLE BASICS - RANK 51
My mind flooded with information. Fuck! Hiroto said. This is amazing. Kyle give me control, I got this.
I didn’t think I could do anything else but hand over the reins of my whole body, my brain swam in fuzzy lights. There were sounds going off at me from all over the ship. Even if I could see much clearer. I couldn’t do anything else.
Finally I managed to answer Jai. “I did the one thing I could.” I stammered out. “Quick Points. I’d been saving them.”
“That Shade of yours is pretty neat, no one usually keeps hold of them for more than a few weeks at most, let alone any kind of length of time. Lucky us.”
I nodded, and watched as this time when I started to input the commands, the nites weren’t blinking out.
“You’ve got it,” Jai said.
I didn’t have the time to worry. It seemed my vision just focussed on things, my fingers typing and moving as fast as I possibly could.
The ships nites and systems were trying their best to counter me, much like a really good opponent in a game of chess. But that wasn’t stopping me.
I looked a little further and noted that the ships nites had a ranking for intelligence and overall stats, that really helped me, I now knew that I outranked them and they would in the end just give up.
But the fight was tough. I had sustained losses, and any mistake was obvious. The main AI system’s sarcastic nature didn’t let up. Loser. Loser! it taunted
I wondered if it was the ship actually trying to agro me? But that thought soon went when I started to key in commands that were accepted.
What I thought was a few moments later and my nites were all steadily green, and all the systems on the ship followed suit.
Jai patted me on the shoulder, “Nice job.”
My eyes refocussed on the bridge and the large display before me. I realised then I was actually shaking.
“You need this,” Naylar said, holding out a drink for me.
“What, where did you come from?”
“You’ve been in there for more than your shift, Kyle. I was assigned to monitor you, and at least pass some healing on when I could.”
I swallowed some of the fluid realising how thirsty I was, my health had fallen pretty low, but with the liquid going in was helping with recovery already.
“The ship’s fully under our control,” I said, looking up at Jai. “But there’s a few issues I already noted, especially in Hydroponics.”
“Yeah, we’ve a lot of things to fix and work through. Now we have a good crew, I think it’s possible, but we need to head to another planet to try and get some more parts, we need to get out of this area.”
“I agree with that. Can we get a list going of all the things we need?”
Naylar smiled at me. “Drink, you need it. We’re working on lists for all systems. This Freighter’s good, Tyto did well to upgrade and get this. But it’s probably in a worse state than his other ship was.”
“Really, even after all our team work?” I looked to Jai, but he just shrugged.
“Prices are different, he sold yours for a bigger ship so that he could have a fighter, and room for a mech team.”
“How long was I gone for?” I asked, something wasn’t adding up at all.
Jai looked away. “You need to ask Tyto that. He’s asked us not to talk about it, I respect that decision.”
Now I was worried. I’d been gone for much, much longer than a few months. How? Why? What the hell had happened to me?
I hadn’t seen that, but with the flick of a button Jai brought up the hanger bay where the fighter was now sat. I could see it. Two fully functional but basic Mech lock ins. The other 4 bays were, well, in need of a lot of repairs. I grinned. We could still fix all of this with time, and funds. It was thrilling. “This means we can…” I paused. I couldn’t tell them anything else… could I?
Jai cocked his head at me, raising an eyebrow. “I think it’s time you turned off that Shade brain of yours and let the people who are around you know what’s going on for real.”
I looked around the bridge, they were all there, Tyto and Rei sitting in their respectful chairs, while they typed in and checked through what I’d just accomplished no doubts.
I brought up my character sheet and looked through, to disable my Shade Brain.
SHADE BRAIN + 100 MAX LEVEL REACHED
NO TRACKER, NO SEER—NO ONE CAN FOLLOW YOU EVER.
Be aware, this will be your downfall in high company (Master and above).
SWITCH OFF – Y/N
YOU CONTROL WHO SEES WHAT. IF YOU REALLY WANT THEIR FRIENDSHIP YOU MAY MAKE THAT DECISION FOR YOUR PROSPECTIVE TEAM.
My thoughts hovered over the decision for a few moments. You’re really going to let them know… everything? Hiroto said.
“I will turn it off and I’ll tell you everything. Under one condition.” I said clearly holding Jai’s gaze.
“Oh, what’s that then?”
“When the time is right, no matter the levels between us, you let me take command.”
I saw Jai visibly swallow, and Tyto’s eyes went wide. “I can’t do that, kid.”
I placed a hand on the console and stood up. “General,” I said my voice steady even though I was as nervous as all hell. “I respect your experience, you’re a born leader. But you need to know that if I choose to show you who I am. I’m putting every single life in this system at risk. I need something that will give me the security to do my job and not jeopardise everything.”
Jai glanced to Tyto. “Would you have any objections?”
Tyto looked to me, I knew I already had a hold on him, but he just smiled back. “I wouldn’t be here now if it wasn’t for Kyle. He’s got my full respect and my loyalty.”