Scrapyard Ship 4 Realms of Time (3 page)

As the song was ending, Nan’s pod rose and hovered several inches above the deck. Slowly it moved forward, eased off the flight deck, through The Lilly’s shields and out into open space. The gathering moved forward and watched. In a bright flash the pod shot forward, streaking toward the sun. The final verse of the song echoed off the bulkheads.

And I’ll take with me the memories

To be my sunshine after the rain

It’s so hard to say goodbye to yesterday.

* * *

What remained of the day belonged to Mollie. After conciliatory hugs and best wishes, Jason and Mollie returned to his suite and changed clothes. Together, they made their way down to the Zoo. Mollie inputted the code to enter HAB 4 and they stepped into the lush, humid world that Nan had come to love and often escaped to when she needed some time alone. Green and vibrant, the jungle was alive with sounds and movement. Within moments Raja, an Indian elephant, made her way toward them. Mollie ran forward and hugged one of Raja’s thick front legs. The end of Raja’s trunk gently probed Mollie’s face—a gesture that seemed profoundly touching to Jason. The sounds of the jungle increased and then quieted as a distant rustling closed in on them. Alice, running full out, broke from the dense foliage. Her six legs strode forward in a mismatched rhythm that added to her quirky, lovable nature. The drog, as Mollie had named her species, leapt and caught Mollie off guard, knocking her to the ground. Alice relentlessly licked her face until giggles erupted.

Jason found the low wooden fence where Nan would sit for hours reading a paperback book. This was her spot. Now, sitting on the top rail, he watched Mollie and Alice play. He rubbed the wood beneath his hands and felt a splinter. To his right, the top of the vertical post where Nan would rest her book had been marked. Leaning in close, Jason realized it had a familiar symbol scratched into its surface. There, plain as day, was a heart with two names etched inside it: Nan + Jason.

He let his fingers follow the contours of the etched, weathered wood. A gentle breeze rustled the treetops and, like a soft caress, touched his face.

Chapter 4

“
Why can’t we simply destroy them from up here—from high orbit?” Jason asked.

Ricket pursed his lips and said, “It’s because they are droids. That makes it more difficult. They’re mobile and will detect and evade a barrage of synchronized incoming missiles. They are programmed to hide; they’d either dig into the Earth’s crust or simply find sufficient cover elsewhere. They also have shields, making plasma strikes too unreliable—again, they all need to be destroyed simultaneously.”

Jason looked around the captain’s ready room conference table. No one offered up any suggestions until Billy spoke up. “We handle this like any other mission. We engage them one at a time.”

Jason was about to interrupt him.

Billy held up a hand, “I didn’t say destroy, Cap, I said engage. One at a time we locate the drones, then disable or incapacitate them.”

Jason thought about that and slowly nodded, adding, “We attach our own explosive munitions, along with a transmitter and triggering device.”

“
That could work,” Ricket said, then added, “but we cannot underestimate Caldurian technology. The droids may be equipped with a self-destruct mechanism. One that overrides any programming when captured or, as you said, incapacitated.”

Orion, sitting to Billy’s right, raised her eyebrows as if something else occurred to her. “The Minian’s not completely destroyed, right? Maybe there’s more of them lying around we can test?”

“
No, they would have been constructed on the fly, much as The Lilly does with her own JIT phase-shift munitions,” Ricket interjected. “But if the Minian’s own phase-synthesizer unit is still operational, we may be able to fabricate one.”

All heads turned to Ricket as he brought up a virtual 3D representation of the Minian and expanded it out over the conference table.

“
The areas that are black have been destroyed and are not accessible.”

Jason watched the model slowly rotate. Much of the forward third of the vessel was completely blacked-out and numerous areas farther back were either black or dark grey.

“
If we use the configuration of The Lilly as a possible example, the Minian’s phase-synthesizer would be situated here, or maybe here.” As Ricket spoke, the corresponding sections of the virtual model changed color.

“
Billy, did you see anything like our phase-synthesizer when you were searching for survivors?” Jason asked.

“
You’re assuming that I’d know what that was. I probably wouldn’t, even if it bit me on the ass.”

Chuckles erupted from those seated around the table, including Jason. “Have environmental and gravitational systems been restored?” Jason asked, turning to Ricket.

“
Yes, well, for the most part. Obviously some areas are closed off—areas that are still open to space.”

“
Why don’t we go take a look? I’m itching to get a good look at that ship anyway.”

For the first time, Dira raised a hand to speak. “And you’re sure there are no more bodies, no deceased crewmembers?”

Billy shook his head. “No guarantees, but I believe we found them all. Since most of the crew would have been positioned forward, they were either vented out to space, or displaced with any matter The Lilly came into contact with.”

“
Battle suits and multi-guns; let’s not take any chances,” Jason said. “Give me thirty minutes to take care of some business. We’ll meet in the mess.”

Jason was the last to emerge from the conference room. Brian was waiting in the corridor.

“
Hey,” Jason said.

“
Hey. Listen, I was wondering if I could hitch a ride back to Allied space?”

“
Don’t want to stick around for a while?”

“
No, it’s not that. I promised to get Betty back home. She saved my life—least I can do.”

Jason listened to his brother and watched his face. “You got a thing for her?”

“
What are you talking about? Thing? Me?”

“
Yeah, you. It’s been a few years since we’ve spent much time together, but I do know when you have a thing for a girl,” Jason said.

“
Whatever. I’d like to get her home, that’s all.”

“
Dad’s still here. Go back with him.”

“
He hasn’t spoken to me since we arrived.”

“
I’ll talk to him. He’s leaving within the hour, so you, Betty, and that hopper creature need to be ready.”

Brian shrugged and turned to leave.

“
Oh and Brian, thanks again for what you did to save Mollie. I won’t forget it.”

“
Think everything of it,” he replied with a smile.

Two doors down, Jason was at his father’s cabin door. A moment later, the door disappeared and the admiral stood in front of him. Mollie was on the floor playing a virtual game of some sort.

“
Come on in.”

“
Thanks.”

“
That was a beautiful service, son.”

“
I think Nan would have appreciated it,” Jason said. “Listen, Dad, I was wondering if you could set your differences with Brian aside for a while and let him return to Allied space with you.”

“
I don’t have a problem with that. I was meaning to talk to him after the service, just didn’t get to it.”

“
I’d appreciate it. He seems to have … I don’t know—perhaps matured somewhat?”

“
I’ll believe that when I see it,” the admiral said.

Mollie looked up from her game and scowled.

“
What’s up with you, Mollie?” Jason asked, returning her scowl with his own.

“
I’ve asked three times for someone to bring Teardrop to me.”

“
Teardrop? Is that a game from your cabin?”

“
No, it’s my drone. The one that saved my life, Dad. I told you all this.”

“
Yes, I remember now. I owe that drone my appreciation. It’s being repaired up on 4B. Ricket’s tending to its repairs himself—as time permits.”

There was that face again: determination. She held two fingers to her ear the same way he typically did, and a moment later she was speaking to someone.

“…
is he ready yet? No. Okay. Okay, good bye.”

Jason raised his eyebrows. “What was that all about?”

“
Ricket says he’ll bring Teardrop down in a few moments.”

Jason exchanged a glance with the admiral and sat down next to his daughter. “What’s this game you’re playing?”

“
I don’t know what it’s called. It’s something I made up. Not everything has to have a name, Dad.”

Jason was well aware that Mollie would be going through a rough patch for an indeterminate period of time. He knew her emotions were churning inside her like a blender, and right now she was angry. Later, it might be grief, and even something else beyond that. All he could do was be there for her. He watched her as she positioned hovering geometric three-dimensional puzzle pieces together. Some gave the appearance they would fit together just fine, only to discover when they were flipped over they were not the right shape.

A melodic sound pinged from the door. Mollie rushed over and provided access to Ricket, with Teardrop following close behind. Mollie pulled the drone inside, hugging its reversed pyramid-shaped torso in close to her. Its painted-on face stared straight ahead, mute, saying nothing.

“
You’re going to live here now, Teardrop. Did you bring everything you need?” Mollie asked.

This was news to Jason. How had the drone so quickly taken his own place as the one to console his daughter? Jason stood up and he, Ricket, and his father stepped to the other side of the room, away from Mollie and Teardrop.

“
I need to know, is Mollie safe with that thing? I’ll be away from the ship off and on over the next week or so, and I need to know I can count on that drone.”

The admiral placed a beefy hand on Jason’s shoulder. “She’s obviously bonded with the thing. We should all be so lucky to have something, anything, to connect with at such a profound time of loss. She’ll come around. Right now, let her dictate the terms of what she needs.”

“
Since when did you become an expert on parenting?”

“
I guess when I became a grandparent,” the admiral replied, squeezing Jason’s shoulder.

“
Captain,” Ricket said, “the drone, Teardrop, would sacrifice its own existence to protect your daughter. Caldurian technology is not something to take lightly. This drone is practically a sentient being. I believe she’s in good hands.”

Chapter 5

Jason, suited up and armed with a multi-gun, entered the mess and joined Ricket, Billy, Orion and Dira. They too carried a multi-gun with the exception of Dira, who wore a sidearm holstered on her hip and a medical pack on her back.

“
I know what you’re going to say, Captain, but I’m not convinced there aren’t some survivors over there. And I’d like to take a look at their Medical.”

“
I wasn’t going to say anything. You are, of course, more than welcome to join the team.” Dira’s face brightened somewhat behind her visor and her posture visibly relaxed.

“
In fact, why don’t we start there,” Jason continued, looking down at Ricket and indicating he should alter their phase-shift coordinates.

In one flash, the team phase-shifted into the Minian. He wasn’t sure what he’d been expecting, but this sure wasn’t it. Their Medical, two to three times larger than the one on The Lilly, was in pristine condition and though more technically advanced, its overall atmosphere created just as soothing an environment. As on The Lilly, indirect lighting and soft-cushioned surfaces made it seem a comforting, almost inviting, space. Jason counted thirty MediPods of various sizes and configurations. And there were other devices: six large glass booth-type containers, each one over ten feet tall, and filled with some kind of clear liquid. Two of them had something in them: some biological form—definitely not human.