I’d been sat with my arm in a sling “Ready to get out of here?” Tyto asked. His question brought me around from watching Denn.
“Yes,” I said.
He indicated the med bay door and I followed him out into the hallway and then up to the bridge.
I hadn’t been with him that long ago, but it seemed there were some major changes. This freighter was amazing. Huge.
“Care to take the helm?”
I looked towards it, and my screens came up. I’d never expected to see as much as I did now… but this was much more than before, and I loved it.
Gain a few levels and the whole world opens up some more, huh? Hiroto said. This is pretty neat, huh?
Name - Artemis
Cargo Freighter - Model 71719 - Repurposed Troop Transport
Manufactured by - Arndale Corp
Crew Min/Max = 7/142 - Troop Carry - Max 1000
Ship Cost = New 1,328,179 - Reclaimed - 172,288,121
Ship Quality - High
Hull - Medium Armour - Reinforced at several exposed areas.
Bulkheads Reinforced
Duel Hardened Cargo Unit.
Specialised Mech Dock x 6
Fighter bay with dock x 17 medium
Engines
Class Seven Hyperdrive
Solar Sails with x6 Battery storage under the belly of the Freighter. 2 Batteries in-operable
Manoeuvring Jets for tight docking.
Extra Battery Storage for longer Space Missions.
Weapons – ALL inoperable
X4 - Missile Tubes - Seventeen in stock - Cost x 1000 Gold
X 2 - High Velocity - Rail Guns x 2 - 1000 packs in stock - Cost x 399 Silver per pack of 1000 rounds
X 2 - Light Laser Beams - High Cost to ship Battery Packs, currently unavailable
Computers
Navigational Computer - Level 17
Predictive Trajectory - Level 21
Auto Pilot - Upgrade Available
Sensors
Deep Scanner Array - Level 10
Defence Tracking - Upgrade Available
Surveyor - Upgrade Available
Communications
Weapons Jam - Upgrade Available
Interspecies Communicators - Not Available
Uses Arndales Relay Network - Level 17
Uses Kiain Relay Network - Level 5
The freighter was a nice model. Three main levels, the lower section split into the docking bay and training units, main hanger, for the mechs and fighters, and the med bay. The middle section of the freighter was for training, hydroponics, and eating. It made the most sense. The upper deck was the bridge, offices and crew quarters. It could clearly house a lot more than the few of us.
I glanced to the Main Hanger Bay, where I knew our Fighter was sat. Its stats popped up.
FIGHTER
Model X2717
Quality - Medium
Engines - Duel Engine - Level 10
The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.
Computer -
Auto Targeting - Level 8
Space Jammer - Level 9
Comms -
Uses Arndales Relay Network - Level 11
Uses Kiain Relay Network - Level 9
Weapons
X1 Rail Guns
X2 Heavy Lasers
“You think you can take the helm?”
I glanced at him and grinned, “Really?”
“You feeling well enough?”
I looked to my inner stats, my health and my main stats were low. I was still pretty out of it.
“I don’t think I can,” I said looking at the chair.
Tyto pointed at it. “No, sit. I have a few things I can do before we tackle the take off.”
I moved to sit down and found I more than plonked into place, suddenly feeling much weaker than I had thought.
Tyto moved to kneel before me, and reached into nothing pulled out a vial handing it to me. “You’ll feel better with more of these inside you.”
I looked at the vial and identified it.
Core Nites x 102,023
“They’re clean?”
“Yes, they’re clean, programmed for nothing but healing, or maintenance.”
I took it from him feeling the weight, there was next to nothing in it. A tiny drop of liquid to house them, they didn’t need much after all. “Thank you.”
“Just answer me this one question,” he held my gaze with his. “Who is Hiroto?”
I wasn’t sure I should answer. But something pulled me towards this one man more than others. Maybe it was the thought he’d come back for me… I shrugged. “I don’t know if I can.”
“Why, he’s the one who got me out here to you, but you’re not with him? So who is he, where is he?”
“I don’t know if I’m ready to admit certain things… just because.”
“I want you to know that you can, you’ve not been 100% truthful with anyone since you arrived.”
“You know I arrived though rather than actually moving over here?”
He pushed up and sat in the second mate’s chair. “Yes, I checked back over the pod you came in. That vat wasn’t active.”
I nodded. “No it wasn’t, it was empty, not working.”
“So how did you end up in it, and here?”
“There was a person inside it, someone who was hiding. How the transfer happened I’m still not sure. But it did.”
“You were transferred into a live denti?” He cringed.
Xirob shuddered on the inside. No matter what you think, Kyle. I am glad you came to Tolsa.
“Yes, the denti I am inside is alive.”
“I didn’t know that was possible…” he shook his head. “Is he.. Still…”
“Yes, his name is Xirob, and he’s very much alive, for now. Because you know if I respawn now, I’ll lose him for good.”
“Fuck, was that the time I killed you after we killed that M-Wolf Alpha?”
I looked away from his piercing gaze, seeing the nanites inside me working hard now to program the others and get them set to work.
“Yeah,” I admitted, “That was the time you killed me. I guess I should be grateful for it.”
He laughed. “Never heard anyone say that before.”
There was a slight ping in my ear.
CORE NITES - UPGRADED
HEALING INITIATED
I actually started to feel a lot better. Like things were finally moving in the right direction and looking to the screen before me I smiled. “Ready to leave then?”
“Yes, I am,” I then noticed that the screen I was looking at, wasn’t actually a viewing window. “Solid plate hull?”
“Correct, there’s no window. Cameras on the outside allow us to see what we’re looking for, most of the time there’s really nothing to see, just more darkness.”
I wanted to see it all though. “Where we going?” I asked.
“Well, I was heading to a port near the planet Roastol for a new crew when I got the call to come rescue your ass. Now, I’m not so sure.”
“You fly this on your own?” I looked around shocked. “It’s huge?”
“That’s complicated, but yes. Seems the system already had a crew in mind for me.” He grinned.
“It may take a while for them to come around.” But no sooner had I commented did I hear the door open behind us. I turned to see Jai, Rei and Naylar step inside.
Jai looked to me sat in the main chair, the bridge had enough for us all to sit on, but there were specialist stations, ones I had no real training for.
I moved to stand and Jai stood centre of the bridge and as he looked around I could almost see his mind working. Then without another moment he spoke clearly. “Tyto, take second in command. Rei, Hydroponics. Kyle, Tactical. Naylar,” he paused, “Medical and Fighter Pilot. Denn can take Engineering when she wakes.”
I watched as the others moved to their stations, a little shocked that he’d actually put Tyto as his second in command. But, giving it was his ship and he knew it well maybe it was the right decision.
I wasn’t sure which seat I was supposed to take… there were still two left.
Jai saw me hesitate and pointed me over to the one on the right and almost directly below Rei. “Thanks,” I said and moved to sit.
“Take a look around your systems, get to know them. We’ll have two watches for now. I’ll take the first with Kyle. Then Tyto and Rei. Naylar can slot in the middle for both shifts till Denn is back up then we’ll switch to 3.”
The others just nodded, and while they stayed on the ship for a while, it was nice for me to just turn my attention to what was before me.
Tactical split into three sections, Freighter, Fighter, and Mech Command. Each of those then had sub sets. This was a lot to take in, but wow. It made me excited. My adrenalin pumped through me and I just wanted to sit and absorb it all.
I had expected lots of different things from studying the basic manuals of space back on Tolsa. This seemed much more complicated.
I opened up the Freighter and glanced through its subs, Air, Hydroponics, Waste, Structure, Weapons. The more I read, the more I would start to understand, I hoped. The Air systems and the science behind them seemed simple enough. There were several scrubbers throughout the ship, which needed constant monitoring. That meant that we really needed a team twice as big as this was to fully operate her properly. I glanced to Tyto as he left the deck with Naylar and Rei. He’d taken a hell of a chance bringing this out here on his own. It would have only taken one tiny thing to go wrong and his life would have perished.
That’s when I saw something else.
Nanite Engineers x 140,291,922
Wow, that number is phenomenal. Hiroto said.
Xe, what are they like. Programmable?
I would need access to their main commands and database. Came her reply.
I think I can do that. Maybe if you just send in some of yours rather than going in yourself this time…
Scared I’m not coming back… Why thank you.
Xirob snorted. Man, you thought you had problems with just the two of us in here, you do realise she’s developing quite the personality.
I had noticed. Is that possible? Hiroto?
We’d always thought that sentient AI were going to be a possibility at some point. I don’t think it’s against anything we’ve imagined either.
Oh, I am no figment of anyone’s imagination.
I knew that, I just wasn’t sure I could cope with all those voices I mean I’d literally thousands of them inside me working. If they were all sentient.
Don’t worry, they’re not. In fact, she said. I do not know that I am. I am a result of my programming, and that’s even down to the sarcastic nature of my personality. However, I value that you think of me like that, and it will just make me work harder.
Thank you Xe. Now if you would send in some of your best, let’s see what this freighter is really made of. I want it fully mapped from top to bottom.
Yes, sir.
I placed my arm to the panel and waited while the nites left my system and I was reduced from the number I had by around ten thousand. Why send out so many?
I want to make sure that every part of the system is maintained, if that means I have to do that with ten thousand less, it will be okay, Tyto gave us quite the boost with new numbers, I think I can afford them even with re training and programming those that are left.
MISSION FOR NITES - LOG AND CONTROL THE SHIPS AIR SCRUBBERS
I agreed with them leaving and waited till I got the all clear before returning my arm to rest on my knee.
When I looked up, Jai was watching me intently. “Something wrong?” I asked.