Crystal Venom (22 page)

He came to struggling to breathe and sweating profusely, being supported by Lilly and Jasmine with the ACEs gathered close looking very worried. He glanced down at his hand and it appeared completely normal. He looked across at Veg and Stephine and they were sleeping once more. His tongue was having difficulty working, so he pointed down the corridor to be taken to the flight deck. He pointed to the main command station and Jasmine and Lilly gently placed him in Stephine’s oversized seat. He reached out for the controls and a few seconds after he had touched them, everything came alive. Glint, knowing what he needed, placed the command helm on Marko’s head and it automatically formed around his skull. Within seconds he could see everything that
Blackjack
could see, including, a few thousand kilometres away, the optimum position in the LP for a jump. Through the roaring of what sounded like a cascade of falling shattering stones in his head, he wished that they were there.

The ship responded and flew towards the point, and in a language he had never heard but now understood, questioned how fast he wanted to be there. Marko wished to arrive as quickly as possible and the ship accelerated rapidly. It then questioned whether he wanted to jump and to where. All he could think of was where they had left
Basalt
and of being back in its secure hangar deck. As he slipped from consciousness, the tethered unit, which would reconnoitre the jump destination for any dangerous obstacles and if necessary move the wormhole emergence point of the ship, jumped first then nothing.

~ * ~

He awoke to find Jasmine leaning over him with a very, very good-smelling mug of coffee in her hand. He was still having trouble focusing, but the pain was mostly gone, although he felt horribly weak. She lifted him so he was sitting, then supported him and held the black coffee to his lips. It tasted wonderful, and had just the right amount of honey in it.

‘We are back with
Basalt,
Marko, in medical. You did wonderfully. Everyone is waiting to see you except Jan; she will be back in a few hours. She did not leave your side for the last day.’

He was having deep trouble with his thoughts. They seemed scrambled and he was having difficulty bringing his own cybernetics fully on line.

‘I need to see Stephine, Jasmine.’

Even his own voice seemed wrong. It was not as if he was watching or hearing himself from afar; it was more that everything was hyper-real. It was like being on ICE, but at a level far above the normal dosage. He had a very real thought that he could stop any function in his body, not through his med unit, but rather, by willing it. He then understood what it must be like for those people or aliens who were suddenly presented with technologies far far above anything they are comfortable with and he realised that whatever Stephine and Veg had transferred into him was just such a technology. It had got them out of a jam, but he wanted it gone, or at the very least he desperately wanted an owner’s manual, as he also perceived that many useful tools had been installed in him.

‘I am sorry, Marko. Veg will not allow anyone to see her. He says that she is very ill, and that we cannot help her.’

Again carefully forming the words he said, ‘Then I need to see Ernst and Veg.’

‘I will ask for you.’

She leant down and kissed him on the cheek, stroking his forehead, and let the others in as she left. The ACEs quietly looked at him, with Nail in particular sitting right beside his face, staring at him very intently. The rest of the crew popped in to say their hellos, talked for a few minutes, and then slipped out. Minh lingered longer to offer Marko one of his delicious pastries. As he ate it, he could taste every tiny part of it, each individual component and could also perceive its harmony like a piece of music. Strangely, it was that one superb pastry which allowed him to start to focus. Whispering, he asked Minh to go and get a small slice of every food they had available and also the drinks. Minh was a good friend and did not even question why; he just nodded, patted Marko on the arm and left. Veg, with Ernst in tow, then came in and closed the door.

‘What happened, Veg?’

‘We gave you a piece of Stephine with a little of me thrown in for good measure. I had intended to only give you a fragment, but considerably more was shunted into you and we do not understand why. Stephine said it was if your system reached out and took much more than was offered. She also said that that cannot happen so she is confused. You remember the discussion you had with Jasmine and Lilly? Yes, they told me of it and because of that knowledge you were able to save our lives. I am very old, Marko, but Stephine is a great deal older than me. We are combined in that we cannot live without the other, and in that way she is unique. Her kind rarely combines outside their race, but we love each other and that’s all that matters.’

He reached out and placed a hand on Marko’s shoulder. ‘My precious Stephine is not well, Marko. All this death has awakened in her an ancient programming, and if she is allowed to continue there will be a terrible amount of bloodletting and total death. The simplest way of saying what she is, is that she’s a transporter like the Haulers, but she and her kind also create and transport life throughout this part of the universe. Her creators are old, Marko; I suppose that you could call them the Progenitors ... well, one of the many groups of Progenitors, really.’

Marko looked startled as Veg continued. ‘Certainly they have been responsible for a great deal of the life here in this part of the Milky Way. What has happened of late is that the Protector has been activated in Stephine: she, if allowed to, will actively protect all that she has had a hand in creating. We have to leave, Marko. It will only be for a relatively short time, but I have to take her back to her kind. I need your help once more, and on that little journey to meet our transport I can teach you of what you have in you. I must get back to her. You are a remarkable human; I am proud to know you.’

With that he left and Minh arrived holding a platter with small portions of many foods and then disappeared to get more. Marko asked Ernst what he was picking up in his bloods and system. The tech answered that it would take time to analyse and he needed to talk with Topaz. He left him alone with the ACEs.

‘So, Nail, what do you know?’

The cat stared into his eyes, blinked, looked across at the other ACEs then back again and said, ‘I know, Marko, that your body is undergoing changes at the molecular level. Your blood — yes, I sneaked a little information from Ernst — is now closer to Stephine’s than the human normal. We must all wait to see what this means.’

Flint slowly walked up to cuddle against him. ‘I still love you, Marko, even if you are on the periphery of humankind. Maybe you are more like one of us now.’

Marko nodded, feeling affinity with his creations. ‘Thanks, Flint. Hey, what’s the latest with Harry and Fritz?’

‘The Fleet medical AIs have studied the problem and believe that they have a much better way of taking the alien material out of them. They will be picking them up to take them to a medical cruiser within the hour. They have dozens of patients who have the same condition. I don’t know what to do, Marko. I need to be with you both.’

Marko smiled, stroking the spider’s head. ‘Go with Harry, Flint. He will need you. You just make sure that you bring him back.’

Flint nodded, briefly hugged Marko’s neck, then did the same with the other ACEs. ‘See you soon, Father. Bye, fellas.’

He waved as he scuttled across the bed and out the door. Marko felt a sadness and found himself stroking Glint’s silky head. ‘What is to become of us, Glint? What will we all become?’

‘Better people, every one of us, Marko,’ the ACE replied. ‘There is no other acceptable alternative.’

Marko looked at his son and the tears welled up in his eyes with love.

He applied himself to the food samples, and with every morsel of food eaten another block of knowledge slid into his brain. Every unique taste, texture and combination brought knowledge that he had always had, but had never been aware of. He could also taste the titanium of the fork and the spoon. As he tried the different drinks, he could taste the components in the container as well. And every time he ate or drank, he became a little stronger.

When Jan ran through the door later and leapt on him, he could taste her as well and she was beautiful.

~ * ~

The next morning, feeling considerably better, Marko went down to the hangar deck and looked at his little fighter. It was in a sorry state. Patrick had taken it off
Blackjack
and it was supported on one of the engineering carryalls. Major Longbow joined him, punched him lightly on the shoulder and said, ‘Shit, we have been through a fair bit, eh, Marko? How about we take a break? The universe knows we deserve it. By the way, a fast picket picked up the astronomical drones you left behind to observe the remainder of the Hauler going into the star. One less worry, because
Cactus
dutifully got fried. Administration was fairly annoyed, on one hand, that you broke orders and left it, but also very pleased that you did break orders. Did you ever see Colonel White again?’

Marko shook his head, and the major continued.

‘No.’ He winced and looked away for a second. ‘Some of us learn our lessons in a very harsh manner. Her time will come.’ The major let out a long sigh, looked at the floor, shook his head, shrugged then after a long moment visibly brightened, saying, ‘Right, news. Major van Beere sends his best regards and compliments as he had to leave while you were away. Says that he would be delighted to serve with you any time and requests that you consider doing an officer’s selection course. I agree. Sergeant Major Ngata sends the same messages together with Sergeant Ban. Your apprentice, Minh Pham? I have just had his transfer to us authorised, and the same for Julie. You will get to learn more from them.’

Marko was about to speak but the major held up his hand. ‘I spoke with Jasmine and Lilly. Powerful people! Have confirmed Major van Beere’s appointments and made them both staff sergeants. Now, a little job for you as requested by Veg. We are to RV with one of the Haulers in a few hours and they are going to long-range jump us closer to where Stephine needs to be. You will then accompany Stephine and Veg in their ship which, I am reliably informed, is called
Blackjack ...
that’s some ancient gambling game, is it not? Hm, anyway, they, and you, will then jump to an LP and rendezvous with a specialist, who will take Stephine away for rehabilitation.’

Marko nodded as the major finished. ‘I find it extraordinary that the strongest among us should be the one most hurt. I also find it a little strange that she could not have gone to Fleet for treatment. Veg says it’s a very good Gjomvik facility and they don’t want an Admin frigate barging in on them. I can understand that. Then, Marko, I think we need to find somewhere interesting for a month off. That way, we can get some bloody work done around here. Like your Hanger. Give you a shiny new toy and you have to go and smash it up some!’

~ * ~

Part Three

Sledgehammer

~ * ~

One

A few days later
Basalt
popped into existence after the long-range jump at one of the LPs of a dual-star system — much to the interest of the major — with the Hauler and
Basalt
waiting as
Blackjack
slowly moved away.

Everyone had wished Stephine well for her recovery and hoped that Veg would also have a good break. Stephine seemed fine to them all, but as soon as
Blackjack’s
airlock was closed she went back to looking listless and uninterested in everything, except for muttering about killing all destroyers of life. As they jumped and then waited for the specialist’s incoming craft, Veg showed Marko everything that
Blackjack
was capable of, plus made sure that Marko had total access to the ship’s computer. In the computer was a lot of material about what Marko had residing in him; Veg said he had written the information himself in the sure knowledge that one day it would become useful. That day had arrived, he told Marko and laughed.

~ * ~

‘Our ride is here, Marko,’ Veg said.

Marko looked on his screens and saw a beautiful ship that was sort of familiar in design, but certainly not human. He suddenly recognised it, almost yelling, ‘Shit, Veg, that’s octopoid! What the hell have you got me into this bloody time?’

Veg gave him a wan smile. ‘It’s fine, Marko. There are a few different clans of the creatures you call octopoids. These are the good guys. Don’t worry, you don’t have to meet them. I’m only acceptable to them because I am with Stephine. Yes, Marko, she is their construct, but of course you will never be able to say anything to anyone about it, even more so now that you have some of their tech inside you. They will be alongside shortly. Now, take Glint and Nail aft while we transfer. The octopoids do not like this ship, either, so it is best you stay out of sight. We modified it so it cannot be scanned by them and they hate that. They also really object to how it smells as they consider it far too dry. The instructions for our return are in the computer and if we do not come back, follow the plan I have left for you. Now go aft. Take good care, little brother.’

They shook hands and Marko tried to hug Stephine, but she brushed him off. Shaken, he had to grab Nail and hold him tight, as the ACE was desperately keen to see what the octopoids’ reception party looked like, and Glint was muttering about needing pepper and a barbecue on board for some occasions. Marko took them the short distance to the engine compartment. As soon as he heard the airlock had cycled and then the slight shudder through the ship as the hard dock was broken, he strode forwards, sat down, placed his own control helm on his head and, with Glint making like a co-pilot, they headed back to
Basalt
as quickly as possible. A few moments before they jumped, they switched one of the screens to look behind them at the indigo-coloured sinuous alien craft vanishing into the void.