“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.”
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“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—you 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—” He waved his hand back toward the woods. “—all 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—”
“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.