Dreaming of Atmosphere (25 page)

“Done.” reported Artemis, the others said the same a moment later.

I activated my Tactical App, and my vision was filled with an augmented reality display of the aft cargo hold. The cameras in here had low light features, and I could see the hold clearly as if in a deep twilight. The others switched on small pen lights, while Art turned on a light on her gun. The cargo hold is big, the aft hold being the largest at just under seventy metres in length and almost twenty five metres wide. It was situated directly below the central engineering space, which sat to the aft of Deck 2. There were about a dozen cargo containers loaded into the hold, and there was plenty of smaller crates piled here and there. Now that I was in here and thinking about cover, I could see that it was kind of haphazardly stacked, and resolved myself to having a chat with Hergo and Denno about re-organising the cargo if we survived.

“Art, Zoe, stay here and guard this hatch. Crege, you and me are going hunting.”

“With pleasure, human!” he squawked.

We strode in between the cargo and it wasn’t long before we could see the lights of the enemy’s guns sweeping the hold for us. I crouched behind a crate and watched them for a few moments. They were working in three man teams, moving from cover to cover and checking corners. There appeared to be about a dozen, four teams moving about. I could hear more noises from the rear of the hold though, so there was bound to be more.

Frikk!
Texted Crege.

You’re right. This is going to be tough. Two on twelve. More further back.

I’ll go easy on them then.

No, you crazy bastard!
Frikk are strong fighters, we do this smart!

Remember the Iloz job?

How can I forget?

Same plan.

I thought for a moment, remembering what he meant and agreed. I knocked on the crate I was behind three times, then ducked down behind it drawing my combat knife from its sheathe. The nearest trio swung their lights in my direction, and said something in their harsh language. They moved to the next nearest cover, still covering my position. When they were nearly upon me, I heard a faint triple knock coming from Crege’s position. They turned as one and shined their torches towards the sound, I sprang out from my position and grabbed the nearest one, diving into cover with him as I drove my knife into his ribs and into his heart. The remaining two spun on their heels and were about to let loose a barrage of gun fire, except Crege used the distraction to leap across at them and sliced his blade across the backs of their legs. They screamed and fell, and were quickly dispatched by Crege’s
lurzak
. We ran forward to new cover as one of the other teams ran over to investigate.

One of them saw us dashing off and fired off a three round burst that hit Crege’s shield and the cargo container beside him. We split up and doubled back around aft. When we were behind their cover, we silently ran up behind them and stabbed and slashed them. They screamed and fired off a few shots in their death throes, and we dived for cover as the remaining six converged on our location. It was time for a fire fight.

The Frikk had better guns than we had, plus they had shields as well. They were using the same energy carbines that most mercs prefer, along with a few Thudguns. They used the Thudguns to great advantage, and it wasn’t longs before we were both forced to retreat. We were getting pinned and finding it hard to get clear shots. Already several hits had clipped my armour.

Art! We need reinforcement!
I sent an image of my location in the cargo hold to her overlay. I then tossed a party popper stun grenade behind the nearest cover that held mercs. It went off with a loud bang and a bright flash, sending a merc toppling over outside his cover. I finished him off with a three round burst from my E2S. I could see another merc writhing on the ground, but he was in cover too far to get off an effective shot. A couple of rounds smacked into my shoulder pad, sending me spinning away. It stung, but my armour took most of the damage. I quickly scrambled back to cover. Crege was pinned behind a small crate, which the Frikk were currently firing several rounds a second into.

I suddenly saw the bright flash of a shield overload on the far side of the section we were fighting in, and then three Frikk fell back in our direction. I saw Artemis advancing on them while swinging her blade fiercely, her strength amplified by the powered exo-rig she wore. One blow cut clean through a gun held up in defence and sliced the Frikk’s chest open in a gushing wound. Another stroke decapitated a second mercenary. The third managed to snap off several shots into Art’s armoured rig before he dove over the cover away from her. I popped up and let loose a barrage of fire at him. He realised too late that he’d exposed himself to our fire and cut down before he could find better cover.

“Crege! Melee!” I called, tossing another party popper into the enemy. He watch me throw it, and we counted to three and leapt clear of our cover as the grenade went off. I drew my sword as I vaulted my cover, yelling, only to catch a Thudgun blast that sent me flying backwards into a cargo container. The flash of my stun grenade left blotches on my vision, or was that because my head just got rattled?

I stood up quickly, and realised I was exposed as the Frikk who’d just shot me was lining up for another blast that would turn me to paste again the cargo container.
I’m too far away
, I thought as I made to dive toward him. There was no way I’d make it on time, he had me dead to rights. We were both rather surprised when I was suddenly in front of him, my sword sticking out of his chest up to the hilt. Then a wave of air rushed from behind me. I felt disoriented, and was almost shot again. I recovered as soon as I saw another Frikk point his gun in my direction, and I pointed by blade at him and activated my Ionise paradigm. Lightning arced from my blade tip and lanced down his weapon. The shock threw the gun from his hands and he fell backwards from it in pain. Artemis stomped down on his head with her heavy boots, and a sickening crunch ended the brief shout of pain from the doomed mercenary.

Two more mercs moved to engage me with their own blades, heavy axes that looked like they belonged in a medieval movie. The came at together, forcing me to back pedal from their heavy strokes. I tried to dart in but they were larger than me, and had better reach. I was penned in on one side by a container, and the first Frikk I had killed in the melee was at my feet. I almost tripped on the body. The Frikk saw me unbalanced and lunged. I tried to twist away from it and suddenly I was standing behind them, facing their backs. I stabbed one in the neck without a second thought, and I began to see what was happening. I was using the Spatial Translation paradigm!

As the second Frikk turned around in confusion, a quickly leaped through him, and teleported behind him again. I sliced his back leg and he buckled, as he went down I stabbed him in the chest. I was grabbed from behind as another Frikk tried to hold me in a bear hug. He lifted me off the ground and was about to start shaking me when I concentrated and electrified his with Ionise. I also got myself at the same time. I lay there writhing for a few moments before I realise Art was standing over me, she’d already killed the last Frikk.

I looked over at Crege, he was panting and leaning over a crate. I could see blood dripping from a wound on his leg. Artemis offer me a hand, and lifted me to my feet.

“You okay, Crege?” I asked.

“Crege is okay. Flesh wound, as you human would say.” I could see he was in pain, though.

“Zoe! Crege’s hurt, we need you!”

I’m coming!
She texted.

We fell back into better cover and waited until Zoe had reached us. She went to work on Crege immediately, and I could see he was relieved. The wound must have been bad if Crege was worried about it. Zoe looked up at me as she worked.

“What about you?” she asked.

“I’m fine. My ears are ringing still. Got hit with a Thudgun pretty good.”

Crege managed a pain filled chuckle. “You flew like
yendag!
Land like
bezak.
”

“I’m fine, if anyone was asking.” said Art, “this exo-rig is amazing!”

“No one was asking, and you look ridiculous in that thing.” said Zoe.

I checked my nano charge, and found that I was in the lower yellow section of the bar. Not too bad. My ribs felt bruised though, and I’d taken a few shots on different parts of my armour that I hadn’t noticed, they were sore now that I could take stock of my condition. I counted the bodies around us.

“That’s twelve Frikk here, plus the three further down.” I said.

“There’s two more between those containers.” said Artemis.

“Seventeen Frikk. Not bad for three of us.”

“We had the home ground advantage, human.” said Crege, his face was placid now that painkillers were starting to work on him. “We will not have that advantage at Ambrose Station. You fight with
shirtan,
friend, but do not let that go to your head.”

I nodded and gave him a salute with my gore encrusted blade. He nodded back as the Light Corsair ship broke away from the aft hold and let the Dreaming go.

30.

As soon as the Light Corsair was disconnected from the Dreaming, the ship began to shudder and we were almost thrown off our feet. Crege groaned in pain and Zoe fought to hold him still. I slid over to them and helped as best I could.

“What’s happening?” asked Zoe.

“We’re under thrust. Maxine must be using the manoeuvring thrusters to break away from those mercs. I need to get back up to the command module. Art will help you move Crege. Do you need anything?

“No, get going. I’m good here. Art, we need to move him to the med lab.” I gave her a quick kiss on the top of her head and squeezed her shoulder, and left at a stumbling run. I used the cargo to stabilise myself against the gee forces as I made for the forward hatch. Soon I was in the forward cargo hold and dashing up the ladder well to Deck 2, and then the command deck. The slow hiss of escaping air had stopped by the time I got there, and I opened the hatch to the command module. Max was at the helm, barking commands at Fel who was furiously punching buttons as his hands flew across his console. I threw myself into my seat, only to have Max yell at me to get into hers.

“I need you to give us the big picture. You’re in the hot seat until we get out of here!”

“Aye, aye, Captain!” I said as I jumped over to her console.

“You’re Captain, for now. Start giving me directions!”

I scanned her console, and although I was partially familiar with her layout I was having a hard time trying to process everything that I was seeing.

“Ah...” I stammered.

“Seth!”

“Give me a second!”

Captain Donovan, if I may?
Said Tac.

“Yeah, I need help Tac!”

Your nanites can interface with the console. I am forwarding you a protocol program that will assist in the process.

I couldn’t help thinking about Captain De Lacy of the Sardonis Mist, the dead Protectorate Fleet commander who interfaced with his ship in a battle. I received Tac’s program and loaded it into my overlay. With a minor force of will I surged my nanites into the console before me. It was a lot like the Scan paradigm, only it lasted longer. In moments the sensors that fed the data to Max’s console was feeding directly into my brain. With a gasp, I realised that I
was
the Dreaming. What helped was the fact that I couldn’t use all of her sensors, since most were being jammed by the organo-ship, but I could access enough to be able to feel the ship and its position in space. I almost broke my connection in shock when I opened my eyes and saw the black, organic roots that snaked their way from my outstretched hands and into the console before me.

“Anytime, now Seth, where are they?”

“Head green three zero, south fifteen degrees. In four seconds spin clockwise at ninety degrees per second and turn red ten degrees. “

Max followed my commands, as a trio of energy beams lanced out and missed us by metres.

“Fel! Switch to passive sensors only! Max, I’m tagging a contact on your display, head towards that at maximum thrust for fifteen seconds on my mark…mark!”

We were pushed hard into our seats, although I felt disembodied and barely felt it. As fifteen seconds counted by I ‘looked’ around the Dreaming. The other ships were falling behind, but we were heading more or less closer to the organo-ship each second. We were also getting closer to the Jump Station and several Protectorate Fleet warships.

“Max, take us directly towards the organo-ship!”

“We’re clear of the Jump Gate, Seth! They’ll use their rail guns on us for sure!”

“I’m counting on it! Fel, open a channel on the frequency I’m sending you now.”

“Done!”

I spoke on the communications channel Fel just opened, although I didn’t speak with my flesh and blood voice. “Mayday! Mayday! We’re under attack by mercenaries! Repeat, we are under attack! Request immediate assistance!”

An authoritarian sounding voice responded over the channel. “Identify yourself! This is a secured military channel for official communications only!”

“This is the unaffiliated Meridian Class Transport Dreaming of Atmosphere. I am Corporal Donovan, Primacy Star Marine Corp, retired. A Corporate merc hit squad just attacked us as we exited the Jump Gate. Please assist!”

There was a pause on the line. Most Protectorate Fleet officers were hesitant to get involved in Corporate affairs, unless they clearly exhibited aggressive behaviour that put innocents at risk. As if the Corporate organo-ship was playing to my script, I saw several bright flashes on the black leviathan.

“Weapons release detected! It’s the organo-ship!”

The radio channel was suddenly filled with expletives from the other end. I told Max to perform another corkscrew manoeuvre, tracing a holographic image of the deadly projectile’s path for her to evade.

“Blade of Xerxes! This is the Galactic Protectorate Fleet Warship Paladin, cease fire immediately! You are in violation of the Votus-Eridani Galactic Treaty.”

“Paladin, this is Blade of Xerxes. We are exercising our right of ownership over stolen property in the possession of the crew of that ship. We have every right to fire upon the vessel.”

“Negative, Blade of Xerxes! You have a right to attempt a boarding, firing a Class 3 weapon is prohibited under the Treaty guidelines. If you wish to exercise your right of ownership you may not fire that weapon upon that vessel while within point zero two AU of any Protectorate facilities, you may only detain it. Dreaming of Atmosphere, if you comply with the Xerxes’ boarding request you must stand down immediately.”

“And if we do not comply?”

“We cannot intervene on your behalf if they only choose to detain you. If you position yourself at the following coordinates, the Paladin and the Hammer of Eridani will be between you and the Blade of Xerxes. They will have no choice but to attempt to board you.”

“Thank you, Paladin! Heading to coordinates now!”

“What the hell just happened?” barked Max as she steered the ship towards the coordinates I fed to her pilot’s console.

“The Paladin just showed us where we can exit this area from so that the Xerxes can’t shoot at us. We’ll be able to gain thrust from that vector, and the Xerxes will have to go around the station and the two warships before they can start accelerating towards us. Should buy us a few days at most.”

It was Fel’s turn to be sceptical. “But that officer said that we’ll have to comply with the Xerxes’ boarding. Won’t we be breaking some law by refusing to?”

“No, the Paladin only said we must stand down if we choose to comply. He never said we
had
to comply.”

“I don’t understand.” said Max.

“When you’ve been in the military for a certain amount of time, you learn to know when you’ve been given an order, or a suggestion. You don’t have to follow a suggestion. That officer knows that if Koveli-Xue wants to bring the intervention to the galactic courts, a play back of the communication will only reveal that he
suggested
we comply. He in no way
ordered
us to comply.”

The command module was silent for a few moments.

“So you weren’t just a dumb ground pounder then?” asked Max over her shoulder.

“No, I was
also
a dumb ground pounder.”

Fel chuckled at that. “It’s a great act of cunning to conceal ones cunning, for the bold are helpless without it.”

The Dreaming was soon in position, and with the Paladin and the Hammer of Eridani between us and the Koveli-Xue ship we were free to head off into the system without having to dodge hypervelocity shells thrown at us by the Blade of Xerxes. At least not for a while anyway. I slumped back in my seat as I pulled out of the fugue that my connection with the Dreaming had put me in. I was half aware of the black vines withering and dissolving before me.

With the immediate danger passed, Maxine told us to go clean up and rest. We needed to keep someone on the controls at all times, in case the Blade of Xerxes got clear and took shots at us, and Max wanted at least two of us closed up at any one time. Looks like it was to be double shifts for the rest of the journey.

Before Fel and I left the command module, we agreed to meet up for a navigation brief in one hour. In the meantime, Maxine would man the pilot’s wheel for now. We left the bridge and I started towards my cabin, but Fel grabbed my arm as I walked past him.

“You did well, Seth. You would have made your father proud today.”

“Thanks, Fel. I’m going to shower and then check on Crege. He was hurt pretty bad down there.”

“Tac mentioned you were able to use Spatial Translation.”

“Yeah. It was so sudden, I almost didn’t know what I’d done. It saved my life”

“I’d be fascinated to hear all about it, when you get the chance. How’s your charge levels?”

“Pretty low, but I’m okay. Using a paradigm is much better than just winging it. Much more efficient.”

He smiled at me and headed down the ladder well towards his cabin. I went to my cabin and stripped out of my armour. It would need repairs again. I ran a hot shower and let the heat work its way into my aching muscles and the many bruises and burn marks from the shots I took. I checked my charge again and realised I had enough juice left to try a Repair paradigm. I reached out with my nanites and let them go to work on my worse injuries. In minutes my ribs were still sore, but it didn’t hurt to breathe at least. It was better than nothing, and I didn’t want to risk any more charge. I must have fallen asleep in the shower, because next thing I knew I was being pulled out of the stall by two small hands and towelled dry. Zoe just about carried me to my bunk and we lay there for a few hours in a deep slumber.

As usual, my dreams were filled by the dark sea of data. This time, I was a bird of nanites soaring over the water. My wing tips touched the surface with each beat, sending motes of knowledge into the air. My reverie was tainted by a sense of foreboding that was just beyond my senses, like a dark cloud gathering beyond the horizon. Somehow, I knew that the darkness that I could sense was the Gossamer System, and I was flying towards the storm.

I awoke some time later, Zoe deeply asleep in the crook of my arm. Her dark hair played out over my chest and shoulder. I could see her face from my angle, and I could see she was in the grip of a dream. Her face, so pretty, so innocent, was torn between fear and worry. Her brow knotted in concern. Her breathing came in quick breaths, and a slight whimper escaped her lips. I stroked her face gently, pushing the hair away from her ear and kissed her lightly. Her breathing slowed and her face became peaceful.

Was I the cause of her night terrors? Were the things I drew her into causing her distress and fear? Did I have a right to ask her to be a part of this life, if it meant she could not live a life full of colour and happiness? Was I asking too much of her, unburdening my own pain and suffering on such a young and beautiful person?

I became aware of her being awake, her eyes open and looking into mine. We looked at each other for a long while, not saying anything. I could see she was also thinking deeply, but I could not tell what it was she was contemplating.

“I have no right to push this life on you. I’m truly sorry for making you a part of this.” I said.

“I feel safe in your arms. When you’re out there, being you, I’m not afraid anymore.”

“I saw you having nightmares just now.”

She smiled at me. “I was dreaming about you running away from me. You left me behind and I couldn’t find you again.”

“You weren’t reliving that fight in the hold?”

“No, I knew you’d protect us.”

“How could you know?”

“I just did.”

”I’m not invincible. I can be hurt just like Crege, or killed just like my father.”

“You didn’t even mention your squad.”

I thought about that, and realised that I hadn’t even thought about them, as I often did right after I’d survived a fight or other dangerous event. I smiled back at her, then kissed her.

“You’re right. I think I’m ready to return. Thank you.”

“You did all the hard work, I just pointed you in the right direction.”

“You did more than that. You broke down my mental armour. I feel alive again. But I’m also worried about you. What effect this life has on you?”

“I’ll admit, it wasn’t what I expected when I first started out. A year out in space, travelling the Argessi System. Pick up some field experience maybe. I never thought I’d be in the middle of a daring adventure into a hostile exclusion zone, on the run from a Corporation in a ship filled with bombs. I never thought I’d be patching people up from battle injuries or doing damage control on hull breaches, or fighting off alien boarders. I never thought I’d fall in love, either.”

“You do love me?”

“I do.”

We kissed, but our deep and meaningful was interrupted by a thought that popped into my head.

“Ah, shit. I was supposed to attend a navigation discussion with Max an hour after we left the Jump Station. Max is going to be pissed.”

“Forget about it. I told her you were too low on charge and needed at least six hours rest.”