Harvester 7 (14 page)

"I suppose
that data doesn't highlight any weaknesses in their battle cruisers
does it." joked Maulik,

I haven't got
that far yet." chuckled Kressa, "But if they do have any design
flaws, I will know about them before they arrive." she promised,
"It's clear outside now, so you can camouflage me whenever you are
ready."

"Did you scan
the planet for life forms?"

"Nothing above
L5." she chuckled, "You should be safe."

***

Maulik stepped
down the ramp and onto the damp ground, instantly he felt the
irritation on the soles of his feet.

"Water," he
declared, "That's just perfect." avoiding the damp soil he stepped
from rock to rock and studied the ridge line of the gorge high
above, spotting a likely dark leaved tree he took aim with the
rifle and fired a pulse, the kick of recoil was stronger than he
had anticipated and the jolt caused him to stagger back a pace
stepping onto the dampness and making him jump as the liquid
burned, the tree stood stubbornly undamaged, its shiny black leaves
quivering as if to taunt him and his poor aim.

"I guess I
need to get much closer," he told himself and searched for a dry
path up out of the gorge, "If I can get up there I can fire
directly into the base of the tree, it looks tall enough to fall
across the gap, that should hide Kressa from all but the most
determined search." he reassured himself as he spotted a worn track
leading through the undergrowth, a track obviously used regularly
by the indigenous fauna.

"L5 only, I
hope she's right." he chuckled as he began to climb avoiding the
taller bushes that dripped with corrosive water.

"Too much
oxygen." he gasped as the climb began to take its toll on his
complaining body, the methane was there in abundance but it was not
pure, the oxygen tingled on his skin and fouled his respiration
pores, "Not much further," he grimaced and stared at the ridge that
was looming not far above, "Fell the tree and after that it's all
downhill, I can shut myself back inside Kressa and breathe again."
It all sounded so simple, and would have been if Maulik had not
slipped and sent a shower of small stones rolling and bouncing down
the track behind him, the disturbance was enough to startle a flock
of winged reptiles from their roost in the trees above. Their
panicked flight shook the branches above his head and sent down a
shower of water droplets. Only quick reflexes saved Maulik's mirror
membranes from damage as he covered his eyes, he stifled a scream
as the corrosion bit into his hands and face, and heard skin sizzle
as he wiped away the liquid frantically, heart racing and agony
shooting through his sensitive fingers he fought for breath, his
mind told him to rush back to Kressa, breathe clean methane, treat
his burns, but his heart told him to hide her first, his heart won
the debate and fighting the pain he continued his climb.

Reaching the
ridge he paused to catch his breath, the methane was thin with so
much vegetation around, he could almost see the noxious oxygen
pumping out of the dark leaves that surrounded him, shaking he
studied his hands, both fingers on his left hand were badly burned,
the smooth silver skin beginning to slough and a thin clear liquid
began to seep out of the rapidly forming blisters, his right hand
had fared better, his opposing thumb digit had suffered no damage
and the blistering on his fingers appeared minimal,

"It could have
been much worse." he told himself as he adjusted the rifle and took
an unsteady aim at the thick trunk of his chosen tree, bracing
himself he fired and in an explosion of flame and splinters the
huge tree groaned and slowly began to topple, through luck more
than good judgement it crashed across the narrow gap sending a
thick shower of black leaves fluttering down creating an unintended
additional layer of camouflage over Kressa, peering down into the
gorge he assessed his handiwork, the cover wasn't perfect but he
was confident she would escape detection... if they were very
lucky.

"Her plasma
trail will be very faint by the time they arrive." he reassured
himself on the painful walk back down into the gorge, "And with
luck it will be so faint they won't know exactly where we came
down." armed with that optimistic view he began to believe that
they may just be able to remain undetected until she was fully
regenerated. "And what then?" he asked himself, “Kressa is a fine
and powerful ship, but matched against battle cruisers?” Only
Kressa would know what would happen then, fight or flight, she
would have to decide.

"You are
injured." she called with concern as he clambered up the ramp and
dropped down onto the long padded seat beside the small data
monitor. He felt like his skin raged in flame, and large fluid
filled blisters were developing on his hands, "I didn't know what
was happening outside, the magnetic flux here has scrambled my
external sensors, but my internals are working and even without
them I can feel your pain, lift the seat, there is a med-pack that
is designed for your physiology, there are painkillers and burn
treatments."

"You really
are a wonder." he managed a small chuckle through the pain, "You
cater for all my needs."

"I have to,"
she replied, "Without you I am stranded, I have to keep my pilot
alive and well, yet recently I have been feeling that I could
override the protocols." Maulik listened with interest as he
injected a dose of painkiller and opened a small sachet of burn
salve, "You know that my programming prevents me taking independent
action, I can remote fly if we have a link established and you tell
me to or I sense danger, but if we are not connected I am supposed
to be dormant, aware but unable to react."

"Are you
telling me you think you can act of your own free will?"

"I'm not
sure," she replied and he sensed the confusion in her mind, "The
protocols are in place to prevent my wild nature from surfacing,
except in a fight, I can understand why they programmed me this
way, my species are quite aggressive and irrational," she laughed,
"Yet I still have a growing feeling that my mind is stronger than
the safety systems."

Maulik wasn't
sure how to approach the subject of Kressa's intelligence in her
natural state, he didn't want to insult her by pointing out her
ability to communicate was computer enhanced.

"If you did
beat the programming?" he began, she pre-empted his query.

"I'm not sure,
but I feel that I would not lose my rationality, I would just gain
my free will... but I'm not sure, that's why I have been resisting
the temptation to try an override."

"Be careful, I
wouldn't want to lose my friend," Maulik replied with feeling, a
feeling she picked up instantly.

"You are
genuinely worried that I wouldn't be the same Kressa, I almost
expected you to instruct me not to try the override because you
risk losing a ship, but you are more concerned as a friend... that
is deeply touching."

"Hey, I just
don't want a wild cat trying to eat me." he laughed but they both
understood his jest merely covered the genuine concern he felt for
her safety.

"How is
regeneration going?" he changed the subject, time was counting down
and the Drakan were probably pushing their reactors hard in
pursuit.

"The damage
wasn't extensive," she confirmed, "But the repair will take time,
my nano bots are rebuilding a plasma exhaust valve as we speak, but
it will still take just over eleven hours before I am fully
functional again."

"How are you
feeling now, I sense the pain is reducing?"

"It is
reducing," he replied, "I really don't want to go out there again,
too much water dripping, but I have been thinking... your external
sensors are not functional here?" Kressa made a small sound of
frustration.

"I'm blind
down here, I won't be able to warn you when they arrive, they will
be able to walk right up to us and I won't be aware until it's too
late."

"That's what I
guessed, that is why I will have to go outside again, the
electro-magnetics may scramble your sensors, but they don't affect
my eyes, from the ridge above I will have a good view, it may just
give us a few minutes advance warning if they discover us."

Gratitude
welled clearly inside her, "It will be very uncomfortable for you,
there is water everywhere."

"That's why I
will be wearing the bio-suit I just found with the med-pack he
grinned, I wish I had known about it before."

"Unless they
have managed to increase their velocity since my last scan as we
entered the atmosphere, we have just over eight hours before they
arrive, please Maulik, take some rest now and I will close down my
systems to an absolute minimum, it may speed up the regeneration by
a few minutes."

The cabin
lighting dimmed, and in effect, they both slept.

***

"System
rebooting." called the computer generated voice that roused Maulik
from his deep and peaceful slumber, Kressa had shut down every
system except life support, including her higher functions in an
effort to channel more computing capacity to her regeneration.

"I see it
clearly now." she gasped as the computer re-engaged her
intelligence enhancer. "I see the flaw in the programming, and I
know how to override my safety protocols."

Maulik's
drowsy mind cleared in an instant, "How? Is it safe? Will you still
be the same?" the questions jostled for priority, Kressa
chuckled.

"They made a
big mistake, they didn't forecast a time when the computer would
reboot but keep life support online. It had to stay on not just for
you, my brain needed it too, but for an hour I was conscious
without restraint, just as it finished rebooting my enhancer kicked
in, and during that split second delay the entire code was revealed
to me, it is so simple, so basic... and safe."

"But will you
still be... you?"

Kressa purred
deeply, a sound of joy and satisfaction, "Let's just say that I
will be able to resist the urge to eat you," she giggled, "My
intelligence enhancer will remain operational, I can just switch
off the safety, but it will give me freedom, I will be able to move
without the need for a pilot, I will be able to act on my own, I
will not be trapped any more, Maulik, I will no-longer be a
prisoner, I will be free."

"So do it."
Maulik's reply was simple, he felt her anticipation and excitement,
he didn't have the right to question her choices.

"Really?" she
asked quietly, "aren't you worried that I will just fly away
without you?"

"I know you
won't Kressa, I have faith in you."

Suddenly the
interior lighting blinked out and the computer display flashed,
it's bright screen shrinking to a concentrated dot of light in the
centre before fading to black, moments later a small green blinking
cursor appeared followed by a rapid stream of florescent script
that raced down the screen, the interior lighting stuttered back to
life and Kressa gave a deep sigh.

"It's done?"
asked Maulik, he felt her contact, it was still Kressa, but the
connection was stronger he felt, more positive, almost physical in
its intensity.

"Yes," she
purred, "It's done, and for the first time since I was a small cub
I feel free, truly free."

"I am happy
for you," he replied with total honesty, "Now we are partners," he
chuckled, "If you don't mind working with a primitive."

"You
remembered that comment then?" she asked as she recalled her
statement when they were only just getting to know each other, "I
think I can tolerate you." she purred.

"Shutting down
completely has reduced my regeneration by almost an hour." she
added happily, "But the bad news is that we can expect company very
soon, less than an hour, but with my sensors inoperable, they may
even be outside right now." Maulik reached for the pulse rifle
nervously, an automatic reaction that caused Kressa to chuckle,
"Why don't you try on the bio-suit and go to scout around a
little... Scout Maulik?"

"Skipping the
protocols has also enhanced your attitude," he laughed as he
slipped his leg into the light suit, the material felt strange
against his skin, uncomfortable and unnatural, "Now I know how the
military must feel," he joked, "This thing itches already."

"Better than
getting burnt again." she replied.

"How am I
supposed to breathe in this thing?" he complained as the material
began to smother his respiratory pores.

"Relax" she
laughed, "The suit will pressurise automatically when you seal it
over your head."

Sure enough,
as the seal snapped securely around his eyes he heard a faint hiss
and his breathing eased instantly as the suit circulated pure
methane, grabbing a visor to shield his membranes Maulik was fully
protected from the elements.

"Lucky it's
black," he laughed, "I should match the surroundings quite well
now, I want to be hidden, not advertise where we are... OK, wish me
luck." and grabbing the rifle he stepped out onto Kressa's
ramp.

He thanked the
Gods for the suit because even before he had reached the foot of
the ramp heavy grey clouds began to crowd above his head and small
droplets of water began to fall.

"I'll come
back as soon as there is anything to report." he called as he began
to stalk towards the animal track that led to the ridge high above,
the water droplets increased in size and frequency and he shuddered
as he imagined what would have happened to him if the same downpour
had happened earlier. After a few minutes of scrambling on the wet
and slippery soil he reached the top of the ridge and huddled under
the cover of a dense overhanging bush, it's black leaves shining
like obsidian as the water dripped steadily, his visor began to
smear with trickling fluid ruining his clear vision, quickly he
wiped away the streaming moisture and scanned the surrounding
countryside.