Harvester 7 (13 page)

"It looks like
a space station, so much for L5 life down there." Maulik stared in
wonder at the slowly rotating hub, a vast central unit sprouted
radial arms that stretched out into open space like the spokes of a
primitive wheel, and to the outer end of each spoke was attached a
smaller module with docking ports.

"A space
station or a space port." replied Kressa, "It could even be a
trading post, those ports are adjustable, my scans show that they
can adapt for different classes of ship."

Maulik began
to wonder just what type of explorer he was as an irrational fear
entered his mind. "I don't have a good feeling about this place" he
confided.

"I sense no
hostility," came back the reply, "My stealth shields are fully
functional, there is no known technology that can detect us, we are
invisible and perfectly safe."

"So you think
we should take a closer look?" Maulik drew comfort from Kressa's
confidence and felt his flagging courage fortified, Kressa's
response was a deep purring, he felt her anticipation and
desire.

"You are the
scout," she teased gently, "We can investigate if you wish."

"Take us
lower... a low orbit of the planet, lets run some scans, get a feel
for the place before we dive in feet first." the low hum of her
reactor increased slightly as Kressa slid gently into the upper
atmosphere and took up her station.

"Scanning,"
she announced, "Atmosphere: high levels of sulphur, carbon and
nitrogen, low levels of oxygen and methane, you wouldn't want to
breathe this," she joked, "There are strong thermal signatures
coming from the surface."

"If you think
it's safe, take us lower, let’s have a look." Maulik was beginning
to feel the true spirit of exploration stir in his heart.

"Strong
gravitational pull," replied Kressa as they descended through the
lower atmosphere and emerged into a zone obscured, "This is smoke,"
she clarified, "I will try to filter it out of the view
screen."

"What emerged
from the gloom as Kressa made allowances for the pollution almost
stopped Maulik's heart.

"Are those
factories?"

"I believe
so," she replied and edged closer, "Although nothing in my database
comes close to the scale."

Below them as
far as the eye could see were industrial areas belching out thick
acrid smoke, Kressa ran her scans again and paused before relaying
the data.

"That explains
the gravity," she announced, "This planet has a very iron rich
core, many of these units are smelting and processing the raw
metal... the remainder, well Maulik, this planet is one vast
shipyard."

"Can you get
us closer undetected?" Kressa didn't reply, she simply slipped
lower until they were hovering above a mighty battle cruiser under
construction," "That is one big ship," he exclaimed in wonder, "It
makes 7 look like a toy."

A light
flashed on the console to his left.

"That's not
good," exclaimed Kressa, there was an urgency in her voice that
startled Maulik, she appeared worried, it was a sensation he had
never experienced from her before, "I think we may have tripped
some kind of security sensor grid, hang on Maulik... incoming!"

Kressa jinked
sideways as a missile roared past, its exhaust port flashing as it
began to circle searching for another lock.

"I thought we
were invisible?" he cried as Kressa fired a pulse detonating the
sleek projectile as it began its wide turn.

"We are," she
growled, "But they can obviously see us... multiple incoming, time
to get us out of here." Maulik glanced out of the side view port
just in time to see dozens of missiles streaking towards them
before Kressa shot out into open space, "We appear to have stirred
up trouble for ourselves," she chuckled, now she was out in the
open again the doubt had left her mind and her natural instincts
were wake and aware, "The missiles are simple heat seeking," she
announced, "No other guidance or intelligence."

"OK," replied
Maulik, "But what about those, those aren't heat seekers, those are
star-fighters."

A steady
stream of small dart-like ships were pouring out of the space port
and vectoring towards their position.

"How are they
detecting us?" the question was not directed at Maulik, Kressa was
exercising her growing feelings of independence and speaking to
herself.

"Kressa, why
are we still here?" Maulik cried in alarm as multiple weapons locks
registered.

"You are
safe," she growled, "I need a few moments more." Maulik's anxiety
rose as he counted at least thirty darts streaking towards them
with a steady stream still leaving the port, the small siren
screamed as more and more locks were established.

"In your own
time," he added nervously, "Any time you’re ready," his thoughts
becoming becoming shrill, "Kressa?" he cried as missiles fired
their thrusters as they broke away from the lead fighters, an
impact countdown began, not Kressa's voice, a computer, cold and
dispassionate... "3... 2...," before the countdown could complete
Kressa leapt away crushing Maulik back into his seat as the
missiles streaked through her ion wake.

"Kressa, that
was too close."

"We were in no
danger," she purred, "But the delay was worth it, I managed to
access and download their central computer."

"I hope it was
worth it, my nerves are tattered." gasped Maulik as he attempted to
control his racing heart.

"It certainly
was," she replied, "I know everything about them now, and this
information is going to turn a few heads when we get back
home."

Maulik was
about to reply but found himself stunned into silence as Kressa
jolted as if she had been shunted from behind, seconds later a
bright flash erupted by the left view port and he felt her
shudder.

"Three of
them, directly behind," Maulik didn't need her mental warning, he
gripped his seat tightly and held his breath, on pure instinct
Kressa banked hard before slotting in behind the far less
manoeuvrable lead ship.

"That's for
firing a missile up my rear," she growled as a high energy pulse
sent the sleek dart and its pilot to oblivion in a vivid flash of
blue flame, another missile exploded just in front of her nose but
her shields absorbed the energy and heat as she flashed through.
The pilots were experienced and battle hardened.

"This is more
of a challenge," she cried as she tore after the ship that had
fired on her last, it went through a series of complicated evasive
manoeuvres but Kressa's instincts and reactions were too fast for
the more clumsy star-fighter.

"He's quite
good," she purred as she released another pulse that disabled the
smaller crafts reactors. Leaving her foe floating helpless she
turned on the surviving craft expecting to give chase... except he
wasn't running.

The remaining
ship hung in the blackness of deep space and waited, her sensors
told her his weapons were hot but not locked, for a second she
paused.

"What's he
waiting for?" she questioned, before suddenly Maulik had a flash of
inspiration.

"Kressa... get
us out of here, he's stalling, he's sacrificing himself to hold us
here just a few moments longer." instantly she ran a long range
scan but detected nothing.

"I don't
understand, why, there are no reinforcements close?"

"Trust me
Kressa... run." he begged, but too late.

Cloaking
shields shimmered in a ring as heavy battle cruisers materialised
and Kressa's console screamed with multiple weapons locks.

"I should have
listened to you," she whispered, "I'm sorry Maulik."

"Be quiet," he
laughed, no mirth, but a small sound of resignation, "It's my fault
for wanting to get closer, I should have just filed a report and
not let my curiosity get us into this mess."

"Incoming
communication," she declared just as Maulik felt his translation
implant begin to hum softly.

"You are
charged with espionage, how do you plead?" the voice was distorted
and strangely mechanical.

"I'm not a
spy," replied Maulik quickly, "I'm an explorer, I stumbled upon
your planet by accident."

"Then why did
you violate our central archives?"

"Oops,"
whispered Kressa.

"I am sorry, I
was just running a routine scan" Maulik lied, "I meant no
harm."

"They are
charging weapons," declared Kressa, "If this doesn't work, them I'm
sorry, and it has been a pleasure to know you Master Maulik."
before he could even process her heartfelt apology Maulik was
crushed by inertia as Kressa pushed her systems and reactor past
critical and jumped into FTL, the shock wave created by the volley
of pulse cannons that had simultaneously fired was drawn behind
them buffeting Kressa causing her to roar under the strain,
gradually the energy dissipated and she eased down until her
internal sensors dropped back below critical.

"Maulik." she
cried in alarm as she read his neural output, the massive force of
the jump had rendered him unconscious instantly, quickly she
scanned again for damage, he was intact, with a sigh of relief she
increased the methane density, feeding his brain and extended her
scans.

"No sign of
pursuit." she reassured herself and returned her thoughts to her
friend. "He is my friend," she assured herself, "He doesn't treat
me like a machine like the Watu, he cares about me." she sensed him
stir as the pure methane seeped through his skin and fed his
starved brain.

"Are we
alive?" he asked as his confusion began to clear.

"Yes, we are
alive." she replied, he sensed a hint of concern in her voice.

“
Kressa, are you OK?" he asked with growing
awareness.

"I'm sorry
Maulik, the strain of the jump was too much for some of my
systems... I'm venting plasma." she whispered.

"Is it
serious?"

"I won't make
it back to 7 in this condition," she admitted, "But I can
regenerate the damaged systems if I can find somewhere safe to
land."

"So let’s find
somewhere." he responded quickly.

"I'm afraid
it's not as simple as that," she replied, "I'm leaving a clear
trail for them to follow, they will catch up with us within nine
hours."

"And how many
hours for you to regenerate?"

"Twelve." she
replied, the sadness clear in her voice.

***

For another
hour Kressa limped on gradually extending the gap between herself
and the battle cruisers that she knew were in pursuit.

"Maybe they
will give up chasing... now that we are probably far outside their
territorial boundaries." Maulik offered with as much optimism as he
could rouse.

"They won't
stop," she replied with certainty, "I found something disturbing in
their classified files, we have stumbled upon an invasion fleet,
they are making ready to invade our space Maulik... so you
understand, they can't afford for us to escape they will keep
hunting us, it doesn't matter how far we run, they will follow. I
have located a small planet that has an atmosphere that will
support you, I can drop you there and signal to 7 with your
location, they should be able to pick you up within ten days."

"And what
about you?" he questioned already knowing her mind.

"You already
know." she purred, but he felt the pain she was experiencing.

"Absolutely
not." he declared with finality, "Either we hide on this planet you
have found while you regenerate, or we turn and face them together,
I am not getting out of you now, not for any reason." he felt her
gratitude welling up mixed with intense sorrow.

I don't know
what to say." she whispered softly.

"Then say
nothing," he chuckled, "Just get us to the planet and start
regenerating fast."

***

Kressa gave
the small planet a final scan as she descended down to the
surface.

"There is a
small area of magnetic interference close to the northern pole,"
she indicated, "It just might mask my signature for a while."

"That's good."
he replied enthusiastically.

"Yeah," she
agreed, "But it will also leave me blind, I won't be able to tell
when they arrive, we will have to rely on line of sight, and by the
time we can see them with the naked eye... well, it may be too
late." she tailed off.

"I'll take
that risk," Maulik replied firmly, "Besides, we don't really have
any other option... do we?"

"look over
there, the narrow canyon," Maulik guided Kressa's mind as he
indicated the deep gorge up ahead, "If you can land in there I
could bring down a few of those trees above with a pulse rifle,
they should shield you from sight, they will also be blind without
sensors."

Kressa drifted
into the gorge, the steep walls closing in on either side, almost
touching by the time they had reached the ground, there Kressa
settled and ran down her reactor.

"You will have
to wait inside until I have sealed the damaged plasma valve, I
don't want to risk singeing your shiny silver skin." she chuckled,
Maulik laughed and opened a sachet of re-con meat.

"Just let me
know when it's safe an I’ll try and disguise you a little." he
replied as he drew a rifle from the weapons locker and checked the
charge.

"So who were
those guys?" he asked as Kressa continued to close down her none
vital systems.

"They are
called the Drakan," she replied, "Their archives are very
interesting, they are a semi nomadic race, I am still trying to
pinpoint their original galaxy but it would appear that they wander
from system to system seeking planets with very dense iron cores,
they then establish mining and manufacture to increase the size of
their fleet. Basically they will move into a system, deplete the
metallic resources before subduing the inhabited planets, they are
scavengers, they operate under a dictatorship, they strip each
system bare and move on."