Scrapyard LEGACY (Star Watch Book 6) Page 4

  Alice stopped her gyrating around to suddenly stare up at the boy, only now noticing his presence. Michael, sensing the drog’s sudden uneasiness, turned a little apprehensive.

  “Dad … is it going to hurt me?”

  Jason picked himself off the ground and took a seat next to his son atop the fence. He put his arm around him and kissed the top of his head. Alice took several tentative steps forward and sniffed the boy’s shoe.

  “It’s okay … she’s just checking you out. Making sure you’re not here to hurt her. Slowly put your hand down and let her sniff your fingers.” Jason knew the animal had an incredible capacity for affection. But she also had a far more violent side. Incredibly protective—Jason had seen what Alice could do to perceived enemy threats, and it wasn’t pretty. So, yes, he knew he was taking a risk, introducing the drog to his son, but any danger seemed highly remote.

  Alice licked Michael’s fingers, her tail wagging uncontrollably. As Jason scratched behind her ears, the drog—now standing higher up on her hind legs—began licking Michael’s face. The boy laughed and pushed her away, using more force than Jason thought his kid could muster up. Jumping down from the fence, Michael tried to tackle the squirmy drog. Nervously, Jason wondered if he’d made a mistake—six-year-old boys loved to roughhouse. But Alice was obviously now in heaven; she had someone to play with. She barked and began darting in and about Michael. When he rose to his feet, Alice quickly jumped on him, knocking him back down again. Looking annoyed, Michael lurched at her, and this time his tackle was successful; he got his arms around her midsection. But she simply countered the move with more face licking, until Michael was forced to release her, laughing.

  For the next ten minutes, Jason watched the pair play tirelessly. Engrossed, he didn’t notice the habitat portal window opening. When Bristol and Two-ton stepped out and approached him, Alice and Michael completely ignored their presence.

  “From both your expressions, I’d say you’ve made little, or no progress on the technical issues plaguing the Parcical.”

  Two-ton said, “Well, Mister Captain-man, you’d be wrong …”

  Jason was reminded that this AI’s persona was based on the quirky personality of Donald Koffman, the one-time best friend of their new crewmember Ryan Chase and supposed genius. Jason looked to Bristol.

  “That’s right,” Bristol said. “We’ve made plenty of progress. Only not the kind of progress anyone wants. Seems the Parcical has caught a virus. And a particularly nasty one, at that.”

  “How? Where’d it come from?” Before Bristol could answer, Jason asked, “Where’s Ricket?”

  “Billy’s set for him to administer the HyperLearning programs … up in Medical. As for the virus … well, it’s bad, Captain. Really bad.”

  “And it came in through a habitat?”

  “No, that might have been a weird side effect. This particular virus was transmitted. Came in via NanoCom transmissions. It’s a virus specifically designed to attack Caldurian technology … mostly phase-tech,” Bristol added.

  “So now we could also infect other Caldurian vessels … Star Watch?”

  “Absolutely!” Two-ton affirmed, louder than necessary. “All it takes is an answered nano-hail to another ship, and blamo … that ship too will start showing similar symptoms.”

  “Eventually, every system on the ship, and on other Caldurian vessels, will become completely inoperable,” Bristol added.

  Jason contemplated the dire information, then abruptly looked up. “The Jumelle … I’ve had several NanoCom conversations with Gunny … with Dira …”

  “So have I,” Bristol said. “I suspect their ship will soon begin showing symptoms of the same Ingress Virus.”

  “Ingress Virus?”

  “That’s what we’re calling it,” Bristol said.

  “So what do we do? How do we fix it? How can we ensure we don’t spread the virus to other Star Watch vessels?”

  “Ricket suggested we move the Parcical someplace protected … isolated. Also, close down all incoming/outgoing communications and limit the use of any phase-shift tech on board this ship.”

  “You mean like the MediPods?” Two-ton asked.

  Like a jolt of electricity, realization hit Jason and Bristol at the same time.

  “Get up to Medical … fast!”

  * * *

  Jason hurried up to the bridge. Having to bypass all DeckPorts added seven long minutes to his run. Ryan, seated at the helm console, looked up to see Jason enter, out of breath and seeming nervous.

  “What is it, Captain?”

  “Set an FTL course for Earth. Don’t use ship communications … not for anything. And no phase-shifting until we reach high orbit, understood?”

  “Yes, sir … understood.”

  “And if you need something, use the ship’s AI to convey messages, or just come get me. No NanoCom, Ryan. And don’t use the DeckPorts. There’s hidden catwalks and ladders on each level. Do you know where they are?”

  “Um … no, but I’ll figure it out.”

  Jason took in a few deep breaths, then ran from the bridge.

  * * *

  By the time Jason reached Medical, he was gasping for breath. Eleven of the new recruits stood in the corridor outside the entrance. He rushed past them and entered Medical. The MediPods’ four clamshells were open, and Ricket, standing on a small step stool, was peering into the nearest pod, while Two-ton and Bristol stood off to the left—keeping out of the way. But it was Billy, standing by the farthest bulkhead away at an open MediPod, who caught Jason’s attention. He was fuming. Angrier than Jason had ever seen him.

  “Where’s my son?” Jason asked him.

  Bristol said, “He’s in your quarters … with Alice.”

  Jason, nodding, stepped up to the same MediPod and peered in. His stomach immediately began to twist into knots. Like an erupting volcano, hot bile shot up into his throat. The sight within it was ghastly. A mingled conglomerate of odd body parts and uniform fabric. He spotted a single eyeball midsection of the mess, and a partial foot where the head should normally be. When he looked over to Ricket, he found his science officer friend busy at the MediPod control panel, his cheeks wet with tears.

  Bristol said, “I didn’t get up here in time. It’s my fault, I should have said something about the possibility that other systems could be affected by the same virus.”

  “No! This is my fault, Bristol!” Ricket argued, looking at the dead crewmember with a sideways glance. “All my fault.”

  “No … it’s not!” Jason said, his own anger rising. “Did you intentionally kill these boys, Ricket? Did you, Billy? No, of course you didn’t. We’ve been attacked, the same as if we’d been struck by plasma blasts, or raked by exploding rail munitions. We’ve been attacked and it’s nobody’s fault here. We don’t have the luxury of feeling sorry for ourselves right now. Pull yourselves together and start working on this Ingress Virus! Do you understand me?”

  It was obvious both Ricket and Billy were struggling to pull themselves together from their overly emotionally charged states.

  Billy said, “Whoever this new enemy is … there’ll be a score to settle for this. Even if it’ll be back to basics when that time comes.”

  Jason looked across at Ricket. “You going to be all right, Ricket?”

  “I will be fine, Captain. Thank you.” Stepping off the step stool, he looked over to Billy. “I promise you, Billy, I will figure this out so you can indeed contend with those who precipitated this attack.”

  “I know you will, Ricket. There’ll be payback,” Billy said. He looked over to Jason. “So … what now?”

  “We need to get back to where it all started. Back to the scrapyard, and at least several hundred feet beneath it.”

  Chapter 6

  “Captain, we’re entering Earth’s high orbit. Over,” Ryan Chase announced, his voice sounding tinny over the old-tech RF walkie-talkie.

  “Thanks. I’ll be up there soon. Hold orbital positi
on over western North America. Over.”

  “Will do, Captain. Over and out.”

  Static took the place of Ryan’s voice and Jason adjusted the squelch knob down. “This is already getting old,” he said, gesturing to the handheld radio in his palm.

  Billy said, “You’ll get used to it. It’s like riding a bicycle.”

  “It’s nothing like riding a bicycle. That’s stupid,” Michael said, squinting up from his pile of Lego on the deck, lying in the middle of the Zoo corridor.

  Jason and Billy, seated nearby on the deck, leaned their backs against a habitat portal as Michael played before them. Beyond was the torn-apart HAB 311, where both Ricket and Bristol were in the process of reassembling the numerous components.

  “So we’re sure it wasn’t this one habitat that caused all the Parcical’s problems, and with the MediPods too?” Billy asked.

  Bristol looked annoyed at again being interrupted. “No, and we’ve already been through this. The Ingress Virus is the main cause of the cluster-fuck of issues on this ship. What was, still is, happening with this habitat is not connected to them. Although there is a big problem here too.”

  “Well then, what is the problem?” Jason asked. “And watch your language around my son.”

  Ricket straightened his back, looking contemplative. “It seems someone … someone working inside this habitat … has been modifying the code. An immensely difficult task. Evidently, this someone wanted to expand their habitat world … even as far distant as the surrounding planetary space.”

  “Who would do such a thing? Who could do such a thing?”

  “I could … perhaps,” Ricket said flatly. “A senior Caldurian system’s code engineer could do it.”

  “Does it harm anything, having this guy or gal screwing around with the code?” Billy asked.

  Bristol looked over at Ricket, also interested in what his answer would be.

  “Yes, it is problematic. Habitats are exact copies of a small section of a given world. Constrained to hundreds of miles, up to a thousand in most cases, that takes an incredible amount of onboard storage memory.”

  “But it’s only virtual … not real, right?” Billy asked.

  “What is virtual, when it’s identical to the real thing? Like with touch … or smelling odors. That small habitat world is no different from our physical world, in that regard. And the organic life is identical, in every aspect. Life, and even evolution, continues on, following its own timeline. The problem arises when ship memory is suddenly filled to capacity. Something has to give … lives, albeit some virtual, can be lost forever. For example, animals in the habitats, and Alice, Mollie and Boomer’s drog. And yes … I would very much like to meet the person altering the code,” Ricket said.

  “Why’s that?” Jason asked.

  “There is one thing I do not have sufficient Caldurian knowledge about.”

  Both Jason and Billy stared back at him, perplexed.

  “How to create a habitat.” Ricket gestured toward the surrounding, glowing, portal windows. “I don’t know how to build a world … designate it a Zoo HAB portal.”

  “And that’s not something the AI knows how to do?”

  “No, Captain. It seems the Caldurians were highly secretive when it came to their practice of building outer-world habitat replicas.”

  “Interesting,” Jason said, rising to his feet. “Come on, Michael … we’re heading up to the bridge. Two-ton … you stay behind and try to get all this put back together.”

  * * *

  Michael ran ahead and entered the bridge ten paces before him. Catching up, Jason found him standing next to the captain’s chair, looking around the quasi-circular compartment. Of all the Caldurian Star Watch vessels, the Parcical had the most impressive bridge. Whereas the other spaceships, including the Jumelle, had a three-hundred-and-sixty-degree wraparound display upper dome, the Parcical had both an upper and lower dome configuration—creating the experience of floating within a transparent sphere. Disconcerting at first—it took a bit of time to adjust to the sensation.

  Forward, seen partially below his feet, was planet Earth—big, blue, and spectacular.

  “Is that our home, Dad?”

  Jason followed his son’s outstretched arm and pointing finger. Michael was pointing toward the southwestern section of North America.

  “That’s right, see there … that’s Southern California. And if you look real close, you can see San Bernardino.”

  “I think I see it!”

  The others then entered the bridge. Bristol, Billy, and Ricket took seats around the bridge console. Ricket took the seat next to Ryan at the right-hand helm console, as Jason settled into the captain’s chair. Michael, curious, wandered around the compartment, peering at the myriad of colorful 3D displays and complicated-looking control boards.

  “So, we still don’t know if we can actually phase-shift safely, is that correct?” Jason asked.

  “That is correct, Captain,” Ricket replied. “We know the Parcical is indeed infected, and that the Ingress Virus, over time, has a cumulative effect. Problems only worsen with the use of any given system or sub-system. Fortunately, we have not utilized the phase-shift system since we discovered the virus.”

  “And why again do we need to hide out?” Billy asked.

  “The Sol System is no longer wide open empty space. We come across other ships … military, commercial freight vans … all the time.” Jason smiled and, nodding toward Ryan, said, “We don’t want to be indiscriminately hailed. We don’t want to interact in any way at all with anyone until we get a better grip on the virus. Isn’t that right, guys?” Jason looked over to Ricket, then Bristol.

  “We know that the virus is transmitted via NanoCom communications. We each have nano-devices in our heads, so we too might be infected. But our internal nano-devices have transmission limitations. Getting several hundred feet below the surface of Earth will provide a somewhat protective shield from those trying to contact us via our personal NanoCom. Just being hailed might be enough to pass the virus along. We simply do not know at this point,” Ricket said.

  Jason shook his head. “Well then, waiting up here in high orbit isn’t going to achieve anything. We may as well just phase-shift.”

  But he saw Ricket’s reluctance. “What is it?”

  “This is no small decision, Captain. If I may, please let me offer added perspective. Phase-shifting from one pinpoint location within a localized section of space, say within the Sol System, requires a mathematical formula that takes into account given reference points … such as great bodies of mass, like your sun. Understand, nothing in space is static. Phase-shifting requires instantaneous calculations based on how fast the subject or spacecraft is moving … in relation to the sun … a sun which is already traveling at approximately 483,000 miles per hour through the cosmos. There is zero margin for error, Captain. If a particular phase-shift process does not operate perfectly, one could find themselves shifted into open space, or into the middle of a planet.”

  “Ricket … I understand you want to play it safe. I wish we had that luxury. I’m betting it will either work, or it won’t even let us access the capability. Go ahead and put us down beneath the scrapyard.”

  Jason saw the same added tension on the others’ faces. A moment later, an intense white flash filled the compartment. Blinking away the visual effects, Jason recognized the familiar subterranean landscape outside the ship. Softly lit from above, eroded rock walls surrounded the ship. For many millennia, this underground aquifer—now dry as a bone—sat undisturbed. Presently, it was an underground base, of sorts. Originally the site where The Lilly was discovered, some seventeen years before, the huge space had undergone several updated iterations. Few people knew about this hidden cavern—even U.S. fleet personnel, for the most part, were not privy to its whereabouts.

  Distracted, Jason heard an internal ping. He was being nano-hailed. It was Boomer. It had been quite some time since he’d last spoken to his
second daughter, and he missed her. Typically, she only reached out to him when there was something she needed—or if she was in trouble. But no … he couldn’t risk answering her. He’d check his nano-messages later, back in his ready room.

  He stood up. “Get comfortable, boys. We’re not going anywhere until you get this virus thing figured out.”

  Chapter 7

  The Elegante descended into Thorian Banal airspace. The spacecraft immediately began to shake and shudder.

  “Just some turbulence,” the Omni said. “This planet is perpetually plagued with violent storms. But when it’s calm … there are few worlds as beautiful as this one.”

  Dira moved to one of the open seats at the bulkhead and peered out. Outside, everything seemed a colorless gray, and lightning strikes periodically lit up the dark, angry sky. Off in the distance, she saw the black silhouette of Lardel Hold. Having lived much of her early life in a castle, she was not unaccustomed to such an imposing sight. But this immense structure—this fortification—with its tall turrets and surrounding rock-curtain walls, was a far cry from her family’s castle back on Jhardon. No, here was a castle that, through its imposing sight, conveyed oppressive power, and possible imminent danger.

  Due to the ultra-mountainous jagged rock formations close by—a most unwelcoming terrain surrounding the castle—the Elegante touched down five miles away, where no fewer than ten landing pads had been carved out of the sheer rock’s facing. Looking almost as impressive a building feat as the castle. Almost.

  As the Elegante’s propulsion system began to wind down, the occupants stood and made for the aft hatchway. The Omni joined Dira’s side, and together they merged into the flow of exiting passenger traffic.

  “I should probably prepare you for the king,” the Omni told her.