Burnt Ice (13 page)

On the flight plan for the
distant Octopoid Library, they would jump again and again. For every jump, a
suitcase-sized piece of hardware jumped a microsecond ahead of them, making
sure that they would not collide with anything. Its electronics and the tied
neutrino laser communication systems between it and the ship were such that
should it see something in the null space between realities it would shove them
into another clear area. Marko loved the jumps and knew that most people did
not, though all agreed that the jumps left everyone cold to their souls’ cores,
disconnected for a few moments after each one. For Marko, the sheer wonder of
it delighted him, that and the huge energy gathered from the matter/antimatter
reactions which he could feel through the ship. He sometimes wondered if any of
them would have the time for a final thought if the heat of the antimatter conversions
stayed in contact with the ship, rather than being locked into micro black
holes and ejected in the rocket stream, before the Hawking radiation allowed
the energy back into normal space.

At the very edge of the system
one of the enormous Haulers was waiting for them. They docked at speed, with
the Hauler reaching out with huge soft clamps to hold
Basalt
to itself,
jumping them most of the way to the target system before dropping them off to
carry on under their own power. Halfway through the final sequence they had to
travel a fair distance to cross from one Lagrange point to another so they all
took a break, freshened up, had a meal, grabbed a few hours of sleep, then went
through the process again.

As each star was passed, the ship’s
sensors took as much information as possible — including full scans of any
planets of interest — and listened for any signs of technology. They did see a
planet, frozen hard, and on an extraordinary elliptical orbit: almost out to
the edge of its own system and then back to a moderate distance from its sun.
The boss remarked that one day when time and resources allowed he would like to
examine it more closely There were strong signs of life in its atmosphere,
which had Marko seconding his captain’s sentiments, wondering what kind of life
could have evolved to be frozen for most of the time and then thawed and
cooked. And to do it all over again countless times.

‘One more sequence to go and we’ll
be at the primary Lagrange point of the target star and its nearest companion.
Don’t know about you guys, but I’m tired. Suggest that we deploy the drone
sensors to look at this star while we take at least ten hours off.’

Fritz and Marko set up the
drones. As they emerged from the wormhole 2.1 light years from the star, the drones
were launched. They watched as the data started to come in then wearily handed
control of their boards to Lotus.

Marko had a shower in his
ensuite. Before collapsing into his hammock for six solid hours of sleep, he
placed his ship coveralls and underwear into the receptacle built into the wall
of the ensuite.

~ * ~

Waking
up, he had a quick wash then reached into the receptacle and donned the freshly
laundered underwear and coveralls. He did his customary brisk walk around the
frigate, something he had always done since his time as a junior serviceman. It
gave him peace of mind to look at everything that was keeping him and his
crewmates alive. His colleagues always teased him for being an engineer, never
completely trusting the sensors and tech which surrounded them. His retort was
always that yes, he was an engineer, and that was
why
he did not fully
trust any of it. Checking over the landers and the skuas he noted that they
were all clean, with the damaged canopy replaced and the worn weapons swapped
out. The interstate flask was still on the workbench, in its powered housing.
He gathered it up and took it to his designated engineering workstation to plug
it into a power source, though he wondered when he would get the time to study
the contents.

As he walked into the mess he saw
that everyone was there already, eating whatever they considered the best
possible meal for the start of the day. Marko liked porridge with plenty of
nuts mixed into it, then steeped in milk. He helped himself from the standard
dispensers by the auto chefs. As he slowly chewed his way through the bowl he
watched the data streams on the main screen which was mounted along the
opposite wall from the long tables where everyone sat. The AIs had already
isolated what looked like the ruins of a dead world. The atmospheric signatures
indicated it must once have supported a technologically advanced race. The
signs were everywhere, but nothing appeared to be alive, except possibly on the
system’s gas giants or in the deep oceans.

‘Good morning, sergeant.’

‘Hello, Lotus. Do you have
anything of note for me?’

‘No. Everything is well.’

‘So what killed this system?’

‘Gamma ray burst from the
neighbouring star. The shockwave also triggered a destabilisation of the target
star. We have found numerous sites of interest.’

Back at his station, Marko found
himself unnecessarily checking through all the fuel levels and seeing what
Fritz was up to. He seemed to be spending a great deal of time with the
monitor, who had taken to wearing eyeliner and lipstick. Marko was sure that
Sirius had also altered her bodice to make her breasts more prominent and had
opened the top of her jacket. Her sensor collar was swinging from what appeared
to be a piece of cable tied to her lower unit — behaviour Marko had never seen
in a monitor. Looking at his screen he checked to see where Sirius was, then
discreetly commed Jan.

‘Hey, Jan. What’s with the
monitor? She’s wearing make-up! Thoughts?’

‘They are strange at the best of
times, Marko. Imagine — you’re gifted by your family, at age seven standard
years, to the Games Board, but only if you have passed all their tests and have
the aptitude. Then intensive training and severe alteration —
for ten years
— to become that thing. And to say nothing of never really seeing your actual
family again — and not caring either. Small wonder if you become strange.
However, I think that it actually likes Fritz because, mentally and
intelligence-wise, it is on a par with him.’

‘She, Jan, she.’

‘No, Marko.
It.
It is no
longer a member of humanity.’

‘Well, regarding humanity, you
and I are fairly far removed from the standard. But why the make-up?’

‘Maybe you should ask it.’

‘Um, think I’ll pass on that.’

‘Don’t worry.’ said Lotus. ‘I am
also watching this monitor. It is a unique version of that type. I am
fascinated by it and am actively studying it. My colleagues worked hard,
surreptitiously, to have this particular one attached to us so we could watch
it, isolated from its collective. As with a few of the younger Games Board
monitors, it has exhibited different behaviour. It would appear that the
hierarchy of the Games Board is experimenting and allowing a more approachable
human interface. We also note that the so-called deep black monitors are at the
opposite end of the scale. Anything you notice, please tell me. I have had its
sensors slightly altered. The power cable that Fritz replaced has been
augmented by us. We are now gaining more information about this type. We had to
be very careful damaging the original without Sirius being aware. There is a
fascinating game afoot, my friend. You are all a part of it. When the time
comes I shall tell more.’

‘Now I
am
all ears, Lotus!’

‘One day, Staff Sergeant Wester,
one day. Do not arouse suspicion. If you need to talk, then go through me.
Captain Longbow and Sergeant Major Stevens are already aware of our interest.
Sergeant van Vinken is not. Please keep it that way.’

‘Acknowledged.’

Over the next few days the
drones, which were spread in a fifty-kilometre radius around them, kept
observing the distant target star. The decision was made that nothing obviously
threatening to the frigate was visible in the Octopoid Library system. The
drones were gathered then the frigate jumped again into the outermost of the
system Lagrange points under slow speed, watched the distant star for another
day and then jumped again, and again. Watching closely as they arrived at the
innermost gas giant, they located the Octopoid Library, together with a
companion object, precisely where the alien data said it would be, emerging
from behind the target planet. They made a final jump and emerged 112,500
kilometres behind the target planet in the trailing LP, with the planet’s
moderate-sized moon high above them. The fusion reaction engines were brought
online and the frigate started to close on the Octopoid Library, which was
shaped like a pair of bee hives stuck small end to small end, measuring a
kilometre long.

‘It has an artificial companion
object,’ the captain stated. ‘Appears to be a derelict. Very low albedo. Does
not match any known configuration. Fritz, have two recon drones brought online
for a fly-by look. Configure for a map first, then move in for closer visuals.
Harry, prepare the fast launcher with two escort combat drones as well.’

‘Drones ready, captain.’

On the exterior of the vehicle
deck a high-powered unit consisting of two fusion motors on either end of a
spherical tank of fuel, a ring of small attitude thrusters and a small hydrogen
bomb at its very centre, together with a group of locking clamps, was activated
and launched from its housing. As it emerged, the four rounded,
rectangular-shaped drones were slowly ejected from their own housings, around
the bridge deck of
Basalt,
then made their way down to the waiting
launcher, locking on.

‘Fast launcher standing by.
Drones now attached.’ said Harry.

‘Launch, when ready.’
acknowledged the captain.

‘Away. Flight time three hours
sixteen minutes.’

‘Ice creams anyone? You first,
sir?’

‘Jan, you’re a cracker. Think I’ll
have to keep you. Never in the team’s history have we been so healthy and yet
so spoilt.’

Sirius spoke. ‘Jan.’

‘Yes, Sirius?’

‘Can I try an ice cream too
please?’

Marko wondered what Lotus would
make of that.

‘Certainly. I’ll grab one. Any
flavour in mind?’ said Jan.

‘I am sure that I will like
anything you get for me. A small one please. My digestive system is normally
only for emergency use, when my power systems are failing, so I do not have a
great capacity.’

‘Small double chocolate it is.’

Marko was really annoyed that
Sirius was over at Fritz’s station. He so wanted to see the expression on her
face when she tasted the ice cream, but she was just out of monitor range on
his screens.

Far ahead of them the launcher
deployed the drones. They flew in pairs, shooting past the library and the
derelict, pulling an orbit around the planet, then slowing themselves for
another fly by, relaying all the images and sensor readings back to
Basalt.
They continued using the planet as a brake while gathering information on it.
The launcher continued to accelerate with its bomb activated, ready to be
called in if a massive strike was called for.

Harry said, ‘Fly by coming up.
Drone sensors are not picking up anything on usual bandwidths.’

‘OK. Take them in to one hundred
kilometres,’ replied the captain.

‘Same result. We’re seeing
extensive damage to the library. Have no idea if we are seeing damage on the
artefact or not. Quite unusual shape and configuration.’

‘Yeah. Any idea how long they’ve
been here? Ignore that. We won’t know that until we’re up close and personal.
Take them in to twenty kilometres. Harry, start moving us up closer. The
hundred-kilometre mark should do it. Lotus, I’m assuming you’ve at least one
independent mechanical proxy slaved to you here on the ship?’

‘Correct, captain.’

‘How about your proxy takes one
of the lander craft in for a closer look?’

‘Sensible suggestion. On the way.’
Lotus agreed.