Chronicles of Athena Lee (5 page)

The Admiral was accompanied by a small security team, his aide, and the Perry's head engineer.

The engineering officer had begged to be allowed to come along.

If anything he could check out the station. His security team really did not want the Admiral to go. She had ordered them to NOT don battle armor and to not provoke the ensign.

“Gentlemen, remember. I gave my word. Do not arrest the ensign. If she had wanted us dead, she could have killed us with those laser arrays.”

After a cautious approach the shuttle docked with my station.They used the standard docking ring off one of the ships.

When the portal opened the admiral's security team entered first. The armored soldiers looked around and froze.

The Admiral stuck his head out of the portal and saw what had scared them. “Ensign, we don't have a problem do we?

“No Admiral we don't. When I built this part of the station I was worried about pirates or being invaded. There is really only two entry points and I wished to survive.”

The room was small. On both sides were numerous security drones.

Built into the walls were laser ports and a large laser turret faced the door. An assault force would have had a very bad day. ”

“Welcome to Firefly Station Admiral. You are my first guests.”

“Can I call you Athena, Ensign?” At my nod, the Admiral continued. “These are my staff and, chief engineer from the Perry, Commander William Hedley. If you allow it, he would like to inspect the station. Amanda, he's not here to be critical. He really is impressed with your work.”

“Well”, I said “ it shows what happens when you give an engineer lots of scrap to work with and plenty of time to do it in. We get bored easily.”

Commander Hedley looked up from the laser turret he was inspecting, “that is totally true, Ensign. Where did this turret come from, it doesn't look like standard issue for.....”

The admiral jumped it, “ Hedley I'm sure the ensign can answer all of your questions later.”

“Its alright Admiral. Commander, the station AI, Wilson is able to tell you where each and every part came from. In great detail if you wish. Sometimes he just won't shut up about it.”

“An AI? Your records don't show any programming skills. Where did you get an AI?”

“He came from the PPL Jiro, sir, an experimental program. I found him when I stripped the ship. He saved me from losing my mind out here. He is the station AI now. He controls all essential systems and controls, except weapons.”

“Wilson wouldn't have scanned and hacked Captain Carvers ships recently?”

“Yes, Admiral he did. I had to have information. His security wasn't very good. It took seconds to strip his data-banks.”

“Athena, please refrain from doing that to MY ship, please. The captain was not very happy when his techs discovered the intrusion. It's not a good day to be a security officer over there right now.”

Completing the tour of the station, I escorted the group to my meeting room. My very small meeting room. Mr Hedley was still in conference with Wilson pointing at one part of the station or another.

“Athena, we are impressed. You showed great survival skills to build all of this. Most officers would have just used the asteroid base and be done with it.”

“Well sir, I could have done that but the base wasn't finished when I took over. Only the engineering section was airtight, the rest we were still working on. But construction drones work fast if given the correct materials.”

“It is still an excellent achievement. Which brings us to the meat of the problem. What to do about you? Do you wish to remain in the Navy?”

That was not a question that I was expecting. Remain? Wow, continuing my career was not something that I had considered.

“Something to think about Athena. I will tell you that there are a great many people back at Fleet headquarters that want to pick your brain about a great many things.

Plan on joining us on my ship tomorrow. Bring everything that you want to take with you.”

The Admiral gave a once over look. “Fleet command wishes to keep your Station, Firefly is it? Bring transfer protocols and codes with you please. My shuttle will return at 0900 hours bringing a caretaker crew. Be ready for that.”

As we finished our conversation, there was laughter from outside the room. Engineer Hedley was laughing about something.

“Wilson! What in the hell are you telling that man!”

Still laughing the engineer turned to me “ remind me to never let you design a kitchen unit ensign.”

Feeling my cheeks warm up I asked “Wilson, just what ELSE have you told him?”

True to her word, the admiral sent a shuttle to pick me up. I didn’t have much to pack. Just some uniforms and a few keepsakes I designed myself, over the years.

A small three person team was to be left on the station. I gave them the basic tour and opened up the computer files for them. I ‘forgot’ to mention the escape plan but they would find it, eventually.

Wilson, left his clone in place to run things. He is coming with me. He stayed in my link and made himself at home. He keeps saying that he needs to watch out for me. That and something about driving me around. He is such a weirdo.

I boarded the EOH ship and was immediately placed in a small security cabin.

Technically I am still an enemy combatant. I am allowed to explore most of the ship, but I have to take my security escort with me.

We will dock at Fleet headquarters in less that 36 hours and then a new adventure will begin.

I hope I'm ready for it. I know that they won't be.

Just wait till they meet us!

Engineering Murder

T S Paul

Chapter
1

“I’ve changed my mind about boredom. Being trapped in a small, very small, officers quarters is way more boring than being stuck alone for 15 years. Or at least it seems that way to me!”

At least I had been rescued. Although, technically, I was still at war with these folks. I sort of did attack them and cause a ship to explode killing the crew. Because of all that, I was being treated as an enemy combatant. It is better than prison though.

So much for my first tour of duty. Here’s what happened.

During my first deployment we were attacked, the fleet destroyed, I survived. While trying to survive, I built defenses and a small space station. A survey patrol encountered my station fifteen years later.

I did not believe who they were and a ship was destroyed with all hands lost. The great war that I had fought in has been over for a long time.

Nobody had told me that!

I sort of surrendered. Now I was on my way to stand trial or something.

Should be interesting in a twisted sort of way. At least there is snacks.

Still the boredom.

Officially, they won’t let me have any books. That whole enemy thing. I have two escort guards outside, but other than the observation deck and the mess hall, I don’t get to go anywhere. That includes the engineering library.

Unofficially, I have my own ace in the hole. I was allowed to keep my personal tablet. I already have reams of books and technical manuals. Hidden inside my link in my head is who has become own personal AI. Wilson.

Wilson is a Artificial intelligence created by the former Pan-Pacific League. He was the prototype for the AI’s that most navies use today. His creator modeled his personality on a 20th century vid star. He latched on to me after the big battle that got me lost for 15 years. He’s kind of goofy.

I let the Admiral and his staff believe that I left Wilson back on the Firefly station. He left a clone in his place, a dumb one according to him. Wilson told me that he needed to be there to ‘drive me around’ or something. Not sure what he means. So, he is officially a stowaway.

I’m not a hacker, not even a little bit. I am about the farthest you can get from a computer programmer and still be able to use a computer. Wilson like to help me out. He cracked the ships systems to got me some me updated books and tech manuals to read.

I am still trying to understand these people that have ‘captured’ me. They tell me that my old Navy the PPL joined with its mortal enemy the AA and formed an Empire. I don’t understand that at all. Still trying to wrap my brain around it. Wilson has been getting me news reports and such but it is all out-of-context so I don’t really understand it all. I really need to just see things for myself. Kind of hard when I’m a prisoner.

All these tech manuals have shown me that there is lots of new and improved technology and I just can’t wait to get my hands on it! Some of the new ship designs, like the one I’m on right now, just make my hands itch. It’s an engineer thing. Unfortunately I’m not allowed in engineering to check things out. That whole enemy thing again. They can come and see me though. Apparently, like a vid-star, I now have fans.

I really didn’t do anything, that any good engineer would not have been able to do, given the time and materials.

Spending my days in confinement is starting to get old. There is a daily bright light though.

Finally, a chance to get out of here for a walk.

It's lunch time in the mess hall and my escorts are here. Wilson likes to call them Turner and Hooch. He says its because “Hooch” looks like a pit bull. I have no idea of their real names. To me a guard is guard. For some reason I am always brought into the mess hall through the main entrance. I never get to go through the more interesting back way. Did they think the PPL did not have kitchens. The one here must be Top Secret as much trouble they go through to keep me out. The cooks and wait staff were not on my list of approved contacts. My escorts always have to order for me.

I ate my soy burger in peace as my escorts guarded my table. T&H never eat and they never seem to talk. I’m starting to think they might be robots.

Following our normal routine we walked to the observation deck. I was allowed to gaze at the stars and exercise by walking, for thirty minutes. We then had the usual silent trip back to my cell. The first couple of days I tried to talk to T&H but, keeping with the robot theme they don’t speak at all. At least not to me.

Only a few more days until we arrive at Naval HQ. Hopefully they have my hearing or trial or something, soon after. Admiral Kane's staff was waiting for me when my exercise period was completed. They were going to “brief” me on what was to happen when we reached the base.

“Houston, we have a Problem.” said Wilson in my ear.

“What is going on, just what you done now?”

“I hacked the Admiral's Chief of staffs; network and it seems that part of Command HQ is not going to go along with the promise that Kane made to you. They are going to prosecute you and lock you up!”

Hiding my expression from the guards, I sub-vocalized, “They can't do that can they? I'm not part of their military. Technically, I represent a hostile power.”

“Well it seems that they are trying to say that because the PPL was dissolved and incorporated into the EOH that they can do just that.” Frakk It. Legalese, another thing I'm not good at. That's why we have computers.

“Wilson, what are my options?”

“We need some political force on our side. From what I have found floating around inside the data-banks, complete national identity has not yet been achieved. Disregard what you may have been told. There is still a lot of PPL pride to be found on the old member planets. Guess what, those folks have NOT been told about the recent events in the Diablo sector. If you authorize me, I think we should tell those people all about it! Time to make you a Hero Ensign.”

“Wilson, don't tell me that. That is the last thing that I want. I really hate politics.”

“Ensign Lee, my name is Lt Commander Smith, I am the Admiral's legal attache. I regret to inform you that you will stand for formal charges of Mutiny, desertion in the face of the enemy, insubordination, and murder when we dock. Any deals that the Admiral has made with you are now Null and void by order of Governor John Wayne Buckley, sector 12 governor of the Empire of Humanity.”