(BSS Heartseeker, Black Star Shipyards, Dimiya Orbit)
Drah Sross was excited! Today was the first time she was going to get to meet the rest of her crew face to face. Well, relatively speaking. Her tail twitched as she looked over the files her Master had sent her on the two people who would be sharing the absolute beauty that was the Heartseeker with her as they went out and explored the galaxy.
Originally, the ship was designed to have four crewmen plus an AI, but the design was altered during building to make room for the powerful sensor array while still keeping enough weapons that the Heartseeker would be able to bloody the nose of anyone who tried to pick a fight with it, at least long enough for the ship to escape the system. So now it was just her, the mechanic, and an AI. It would be a lonely job if they didn’t have the Anchor Drives, allowing them to return to civilization when they needed to.
Looking down at the files in her hand, she pulled up the first name. Chakizo Black was a Felisan Male. This did not bother her. She was not speciesist, but the rest of his dossier did not inspire confidence. He was a judicial slave, one enslaved for breaking laws. In this case, he was one of several individuals who had been captured while attacking Black Star sites, a member of the team that was backing up a hacker who had been hired by a Senator looking to damage the company’s credibility.
Chakizo troubled her. That he was a ‘gun for hire’ that had been captured and enslaved to work on this ship with her was bad enough, but the fact that he had worked against her Master and had been officially ‘disappeared’ by the company meant that he may be a threat. The only thing keeping her from rejecting him out of hand and going to her Master to see if a new mechanic could be assigned was that his file noted that he had undergone ‘extensive reconditioning’ to make him loyal to Black Star.
Her other ‘crewmate’ was of the nonphysical variety. ‘Adam Heartseeker’ was the designation of the AI for her ship, and apparently this AI was far different from the ‘normal’ AIs. This one had a real person behind it, but not an ‘upload’ like the Master’s Raven was rumored to be. This was a Nomad taking the ‘form’ of an AI!
The Nomads were generally fairly quiet about how they came here, but her Master had put a brief statement on the Black Star infonet explaining as much as he wished. They used devices in their world to project themselves into this world. That was why they were able to return from death. They didn’t actually die, the connection was just broken, and took time to reestablish. The various forms they took were dependent on the company that made the devices that enabled them to project into this world.
Adam was, according to her Master’s notes, a test subject for some device in the world Nomads came from. It seemed that, in their world, they still had medical conditions that they could not treat. Indeed, when it came to the brain, they still did not fully understand how many of the conditions actually worked, so they were unable to properly treat them. In this case, Adam in his world had a condition called ‘autism’, which affected how he processed and responded to the world around him. He was intelligent, but he had difficulty speaking with others, especially in large groups, as they literally perceived things differently.
Apparently, the company that oversaw the transfer devices had reached out to the Master, and asked whether there was any way he could help with the testing of a new kind of interface designed for people with this condition. While the Master had patently refused to allow the Nomad AIs to control his warships, for good reason, some of the civilian or nonmilitary ships would be acceptable. Which is how the Heartseeker became the first ship to have a Nomad AI on it. Her ship was chosen because their mission would involve a lot of time on their own, with just the three of them, hopefully not overwhelming the Nomad.
Drah shook her head. It said something about her Master that the company that oversaw the connection Nomads had to this world had reached out to him for help, but she wasn’t sure about the ‘brain’ of her ship being one who had problems back in his world. Hopefully it would work out, and the Nomad AI would be a success that would help others like him, while not causing her new baby any problems.
“Captain?”
Drah turned her head to look at the Felisan. “Ah, you’re Chakizo, yes? Good to meet you in person at last. The Master sent over your records, and I see you’re a very skilled mechanic. Have you spent time in the simulators, getting used to the Heartseeker’s gunnery layout?”
The Felisan frowned, and said, “Yes, ma’am. I thought they had programmed a few things wrong until I saw the actual ship up close, though. Figured there was no way that a ship the size of a light freighter could have shields, armor, and weapons that would make a frigate cry.”
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Drah grinned. “Well, we’re going to be out on our own, away from all backup a lot of the time. If we get into trouble, we’ll need to find a way to get ourselves out of it, or we’re dead. So the Master decided that we should have extra armor and shields, the full stealth suite, and the same weapons that the Starlight Raven has access to. Except we have both torpedoes and missiles.”
Chakizo just blinked at her, his ears perking up at that. “Does that mean I really get to play with the Starbolt torpedoes?”
“Affirmative. However, there are only four Starbolts loaded aboard, and the production nodes on board are incapable of creating more at this time.”
Drah looked over to where a reddish hologram of a human was standing next to them, a projection of the AI, no doubt. She nodded, and said, “Yes, that is correct. The Master said explicitly that any trouble our conventional weapons, six Dragonbreath torpedoes, and four Starbolts couldn’t get us out of was something that we should have run away from long before. We’ll have to return to Known Space to rearm our torpedoes.”
The hologram nodded. “That is correct. However, the twin Anchor Drive setup will allow for rapid escape from most dangers, while preventing enemies from following us to our destination.”
Drah looked over to the frowning Felisan, and said, “Chakizo Black, I would like to introduce you to the third member of our little crew, Adam Heartseeker, our AI. Also, Adam is a Nomad, like the Master, so we may be able to get additional information that wouldn’t otherwise have.”
The Felisan nodded, and said, “Nice to meet you, Adam. You’re the one in charge of sensors and analysis for the most part, yes?”
“Indeed, Chakizo Black.”
Drah broke in there. “Adam, until instructed otherwise, when it is just us three, simply use our first names unless it is official business. Same for you, Chakizo. No sense keeping up formalities when we’re all alone. But when we’re in front of others, especially the Master, keep it formal unless the Master says otherwise.”
“Understood, Drah. As for your question, Chakizo, yes, I am in charge of sensors and data analysis. I have also been given the Navigator title with the accompanying skills to aid in calculating the best course and speed for our journey.”
Chakizo nodded. “That’s fine, Adam. My other question is, I know that you Nomads leave our world from time to time. What happens to the ship while you are back in your world?”
“Backup processors have been installed that will continue to run core functions of the ship without assistance. However, sensor analysis will degrade by 58.4%, and take 39.72% longer. Also, navigational computations will require 210% more time to complete, except for the Anchor Drives, which have two Default destinations that can be immediately used without recalculating.”
Drah nodded. “What are those destinations?”
“Current stored default destinations are systems designated ‘Amazon System’ and ‘Star’s Reach System’. A tertiary default destination that may only be used within range of a functioning Gateway is set as ‘Madrigal Base’. There is an advisory that the Star’s Reach and Madrigal Base defaults should only be used when we are certain we have no pursuers, or as the second jump when utilizing the Twin Anchor Drive System to make rapid jumps. Forces in those areas of operation have been informed that scout ships belonging to Black Star have been given a certain area to jump into with the Anchor Drives. All ships entering the system via Anchor Drives that are not in that area will be destroyed immediately, and with prejudice.”
Drah smiled. “Looks like the Master is ready for the X’thari to try and find where we’re coming from, and has set everything to be ‘kill on sight’ unless they land in the designated zones. We don’t know whether the X’thari can track ships across jumps with their drives, but the Master seems to have decided it is best to assume that they can.”
She looked at her two crew members, and said, “All right, then. We are all on board, our supplies are packed, and we’ve got a whole lot of galaxy to explore. You want to get to it?”
Chakizo grinned, “Sounds like a plan to me. I can’t wait to see what we find out there.”
“There is an incoming transmission from Black Star Prime, routed through AI Raven and Dimiya Base.”
Drah blinked, and said, “We’ll take it in the cockpit, Adam.” She winked at Chakizo. “Looks like we’re getting some orders. Let’s see where they send us, hmm?” The Felisan laughed as they raced to the small cockpit and strapped into the seats. Once they both looked presentable, Drah activated the screen so they could see the transmission.
Looking back at them was the Owner of the Black Star Company, and them. He smiled at them, and said, “Ah, good to see you’re all ready to work. As you know, the Heartseeker has been designed to be a fast scout ship, to explore the Gateway network and systems surrounding it. The reason for your armaments and redundant systems is because we know that there are X’thari present around at least one, but probably more than one, Gateway. It has been decided that you should have time to acquaint yourselves with your new ship before trying to dive any unknown gates. To that end, your navigation computer has been fitted with twenty-six systems in relative proximity to Nuevo Edo and Star’s Reach. Your orders are to explore those systems, and report back on life-bearing worlds, resource nodes, unknown signals, previously uncontacted civilizations, and so on. What method you use to explore those worlds is up to you.”
“What I am about to say shall be considered standing orders for you all, unless some other order counters it. If there is a system with a X’thari presence, you are to ascertain the extent of that presence while maintaining stealth as best you can, and escape with as much information as possible. You are not to land on X’thari worlds unless given no other choice. The amount of information I get from a destroyed ship and a crew that has either been captured or killed is minimal, at best. Knowing where a X’thari colony is based gives us the ability to raid them for a change. This could be a game-changer in the next X’thari War.”
Drah nodded. “Understood, Master. We are ready to depart on your order.”
The man smiled at them, and said, “I don’t doubt it. I wish I could have been there to send you off in person, but, unfortunately, I have duties that extend beyond my desire to see each Black Star ship launched for the first time. So instead, I have arranged for two of the base’s gunboats to give you a proper escort to the Gateway as you begin your mission. My only request is that you don’t use the Anchor Drive for your first hop. The Confederate Navy would not be amused.”
Drah smiled, showing off her sharpened teeth on her lizardlike face. “We will not let you down, Master. Heartseeker, heading out!”