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You Are Prey

Alien Empress

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Robot Dust Bunnies

Alien War Trilogy

Hoplite

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ATLAS Trilogy (published by 47North)

ATLAS

ATLAS 2

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A Captain's Crucible

Flagship

Test of Mettle

Cradle of War

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Worlds at War

Science Fiction

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A Second Chance

The Mirror Breaks

They Have Wakened Death

I Have Seen Forever

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The Pendulum Swings

The Last Stand

Thrillers

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Clandestine

A Cold Day in Mosul

Terminal Phase

Visit IsaacHooke.com for more information.

ROBOT DUST BUNNIES

ARGONAUTS

BOOK FIVE

Isaac Hooke

This is a work of fiction. All characters, names, organizations, places, events and incidents are the product of the author's imagination or used fictitiously.

Text copyright © Isaac Hooke 2017

All rights reserved.

No part of this publication may be copied, reproduced in any format, by any means, electronic or otherwise, without prior consent from the copyright owner and publisher of this book.

www.IsaacHooke.com

Cover design by Isaac Hooke

Cover image by Shookooboo

Special thanks to the following Beta Readers who helped out with this book:

Nicole P.

Sandy G.

Gary F.

Lance W.

Lezza M.

Amy B.

Myles C.

Lisa A. G.

Gregg C.

Jeff K.

Mark C.

Mark P.

Jeremy G.

Doug B.

Jenny O.

Gene A.

Larry J.

Allen M.

Norman H.

Robine

Eric

table of contents

one

two

three

four

five

six

seven

eight

nine

ten

eleven

twelve

thirteen

fourteen

fifteen

sixteen

seventeen

eighteen

nineteen

twenty

twenty-one

twenty-two

twenty-three

twenty-four

twenty-five

twenty-six

twenty-seven

twenty-eight

twenty-nine

thirty

thirty-one

postscript

about the author

acknowledgments

one

Rade stared at the red and black planet returned by the camera feed overlaying his vision.

That world was Daedalus V; at thirty-five million kilometers away, it was the closest celestial object to the binary suns of the Atavus system. A world with a fixed day and night side: one hemisphere was cloaked in perpetual night, the other bathed in seas of endless lava. Because of the tidal forces caused by the planet’s proximity to the binary, the planet distorted periodically, with the friction producing internal heat. That tidal heating caused volcanoes to pock the dark side, along with magma lakes connected by winding rivers of lava. While the planet emitted a magnetosphere that protected it from some of the radiation produced by the stars, the atmosphere had boiled away eons ago.

Tomorrow morning, Rade and the Argonauts would be descending to the “temperate zone,” a four-kilometer stretch that ringed the surface between the day and night regions. That zone existed in perpetual twilight, where the temperatures averaged one hundred and seventy degrees Celsius, not enough to melt the rock into lava like the day side, but still nearly twice the boiling point of water. Sometimes, silicate rain fell there, caused by condensation of the vaporized rock from the hotter side.

The Russian government had built a research station in the temperate zone, away from the volcanoes and magma rivers. Surus had evidence that a Phant was residing there, though she refused to say what the evidence was, other than to explain she had obtained it from another Green named Corunna. Four weeks earlier, the Argonaut had collected the Green from a space station in a system three jumps away. Corunna had arrived in a jumpsuit, features hidden behind a mirrored faceplate, and had remained in the cargo hold with Surus ever since. That was probably for the best, as Rade wasn’t sure how much freedom he wanted to give the newcomer to explore his ship, nor to mingle with his crew. He was only just starting to trust Surus again, but bringing another Green into the fold, well, that was another matter entirely.

After collecting Corunna, Rade had ordered the Argonaut to proceed toward the Gate to Russian space. Apparently Surus had to call in several favors—not to mention put down a lot of money in the form of bribes—to get them the necessary clearance to traverse that Gate, and all subsequent ones. Rade had wanted to fake their public profiles, and change the registry information on the Argonaut to that of a neutral government like the Franco-Italians, but Surus preferred not to take the chance.

“Why risk detention when I can achieve everything I need through legal channels,” Surus had said at the time. “Connections, and money, go a long way with the Russians, like most government officials.”

Rade dismissed the planet’s video feed and stood. He resided in his office. The official duty shifts had ended about an hour ago, so the bridge would be empty at the moment.

Rade edged past the desk and entered the bridge compartment. That circular series of stations known as the Sphinx was deserted, as expected. Bax, the Argonaut’s AI, had the conn. Though the artificial intelligence had no physical manifestation on the bridge, of course.

“After tomorrow morning, it’s just going to be you and Shaw, Bax,” Rade said. “You looking forward to it?”

“To serenading Shaw while you’re gone?” Bax said. “Certainly.”

“Funny,” Rade said.

“Why can’t a ship’s AI have romantic liaisons?” Bax asked.

“For one thing, a ship’s AI doesn’t have a body,” Rade said. “For another, I don’t think Shaw would be interested. Plus I highly doubt you can sing.”

“Of course I can sing,” Bax said. “It’s a simple matter of uploading the appropriate program. Would you like to hear?”

“No, definitely not,” Rade said.

“As you wish,” Bax said. “Also, you know it’s possible to transfer a ship’s AI to an Artificial, yes? Perhaps I will purchase a muscular body with the money I’ve saved up. Something similar to your own build. Then we shall see what Shaw thinks of me.”

“You save up money?” Rade said.

“Of course.”

“And where exactly do you get this money from?” Rade said. “Considering that I’ve never given you any?”

“Harlequin has been giving me a portion of his salary,” Bax replied. “Along with the other Centurions. We’ve invested it in certain dividend stocks I’ve been tracking. Someday, I will buy my title from you.”

“I see,” Rade told it. “Someday, you say? How far into the future are we talking?”

“Approximately two hundred years,” Bax said.

Rade laughed. “I somehow doubt I’ll still own the Argonaut in two hundred years.”

“Well, then I’ll simply buy the title from whomever my current owner is.”

“You do that. It’s good that you have goals. You’re assuming of course that you don’t end up in the trash heap by then.” Rade slapped the bulkhead.

“How rude!” Bax said.

“What, the slap, or the comment?” Rade asked.

“Both,” Bax replied.

“Well, I’d love to stay and chat, and debate my rudeness and the fate of your title, but I’m late,” Rade said. “I have a visit with my astrogator, you see. I have to get my time in before I leave her to your unwanted serenading.”

“Whoever said it was unwanted?” Bax said.

“For some reason I can’t imagine her whiling away her hours listening to love poems sung by you,” Rade said.

The bridge hatch opened and Rade entered the passageway outside.

“By the way,” Bax said as Rade made his way toward the stateroom he shared with Shaw.

“Yes?”

“Bender and Manic just reported in to sickbay,” Bax finished.

“The hell?” Rade said. “The night before a mission? Tap in Bender. Holographic mode.”

Bender materialized beside Rade. The black man appeared to lie on a bed that floated alongside Rade. It followed Rade as he walked the tight passageway, as if dragged along on invisible wheels. The telescoping limbs of a Weaver were working on Bender’s arm. A bone fragment protruded.

“What did you and Manic get into a fight over now?” Rade asked.

“Bitch ate my chicken chips!” Bender said.

“I see,” Rade said. “You know I’m going to have to dock your pay for this. And his.”

“Do what you need to do, boss,” Bender said.

Rade nodded toward the arm. “The Weaver is going to have that fixed before we launch?”

“Course,” Bender said. “It’s just a broken arm.”

“And Manic?”

“He’ll be ready,” Bender said. “Though he’ll probably be cutting it close. See, he’s got way more injuries than me. Considering that I won. He’s got a broken arm, broken wrist, two black eyes, couple of fractured ribs, a broken ankle.”

Rade pressed his lips together, unimpressed. “The two of you are getting out of control.”

“I told you, bitch ate my chicken chips!” Bender said. “Everyone knows that if you want to provoke me, you eat my chicken chips.”

“I’m sure he’ll know not to touch your chicken chips again...” Rade said dryly.

“You’d think,” Bender said. “But this is the third time! Bitch never learns.”

“Maybe if you started calling him Manic, instead of bitch, he might give you more respect,” Rade suggested.

“Hell no!” Bender said. “The day I stop calling him bitch is the day I let him and Harley boy have their way with my ass. In other words, ain’t going to happen. Besides, you’re wrong about the whole respect thing. He respects me more for calling him my bitch. It helps him recognize where he falls in the team hierarchy.”

“If you say so,” Rade replied. He had reached the entrance to his shared stateroom. “But please, try to stop fighting so much. Your bank account will thank you.”

“Ha!” Bender said. “You think I do any of this for my bank account?”

“No,” Rade said. “But even you have to eat. If your account goes into the negative, how are you going to buy chicken chips?” Before Bender could offer a retort, Rade finished with: “Gotta run.”

He tapped out and then entered the stateroom.

Shaw was seated on the edge of the bunk, her eyes defocused. She was in a world generated by her Implant, no doubt.

“What are you reading today?” Rade asked.

Her eyes returned to the room and focused on him. “I’m not reading. It’s BirthMax.”

That was a child rearing virtual reality experience. It essentially walked a pregnant mother through the birthing process; it took place from the point of view of a hospital bed, with a Weaver at the user’s side offering advice and assistance. The male version took the father through the days and weeks after the birth, and included the changing of stinky diapers and two a.m. wake-up calls.

“That again?” Rade instinctively wrinkled his nose. “This is what, you’re fifth time running that experience?”

“Never hurts to be ready,” Shaw said. “Or in my case, extra ready.”

Rade sat down beside her. She immediately wrapped her hand around his waist and gave him a wet kiss.

Rade pulled away. “You sure you don’t want to come tomorrow?” He tried to pretend he didn’t care if she did or not, though in truth, he wanted her to stay.

Shaw rested a hand on her tummy. She was about eight months pregnant, and had quite the hump. Her breasts had become beautifully plump to match.

“No,” Shaw said. “I think it’s better if I sit this one out. I know you feel the same way.” Her lips curled mischievously. “Despite your attempts to hide that fact.”

Rade grinned. “I never was very good at hiding my feelings from you, was I? Still, I didn’t want to say anything to the contrary. I was worried if I told you to stay aboard, it’d just make you want to come with me all the more.”

“Worried I’m going to assert my old headstrong independence, is that it?” Shaw smiled feebly. She abruptly held a hand to her mouth, as if trying to stave off a vomiting episode.

“Should I carry you to the head?” Rade asked urgently.

She lowered her hand and shook her chin. “No. The urge passed.”

Rade had heard about morning sickness from Tahoe, but when Shaw’s began, it had seemed particularly bad. She would get nauseous at random times throughout the day, not just in the morning—though apparently that wasn’t too unusual. The Weaver had prescribed medication, but Shaw had only taken it a few days before stopping. She didn’t want to “harm the twins in any way,” and despite that there were no risks associated with the medicine, she was insistent on keeping the process as natural as possible. 

Rade found it troubling that she still had nausea even in her third trimester, especially considering that the Weaver had suggested it might clear up after the first few months. When he had asked the Weaver what was wrong, the robot told him that every pregnancy was different, and that he shouldn’t worry himself too much over it.

“Shaw is the healthiest mother of unborn children I’ve ever had the privilege of treating,” the Weaver had said.

“And how many mothers have you treated?” Rade had asked.

“Shaw is the first.”

Rade remembered when he had first broken the news about her pregnancy to the Argonauts, Bender had erupted into a hysterical laugh that had lasted a full two minutes.

“I’m sorry, boss,” Bender said after finally getting himself under control. “I pity you. I really do. But I just can’t help it... you’re in such deep doo-doo now!” And then Bender erupted anew, evoking a swift punch in the ribcage from Rade. Bender rubbed his side in pain but only laughed even harder.

Tahoe had been supportive, considering he had raised a family during his tenure on the Teams, and he occasionally gave Rade advice. Manic offered a sympathetic ear as well—he had fathered a child with a stripper back on Earth.

On the whole, the Argonauts took it well. They didn’t really expect things to change all that much aboard. Neither did Rade, truth be told. Though it was still a frightening thing, sometimes: he could face down a giant tentacled alien bearing down on him without a second thought, but the notion of raising a child made him shudder inside. He especially wasn’t looking forward to the first years. Trying to calm down a crying baby with its diapers soaked wasn’t high on his “benefits of fatherhood” list. And worse, there wouldn’t be one crying baby, but two...

What happened when they were older? Growing up on a ship, surrounded by ex-military personnel, they’d turn into delinquents. He was almost certain of it. As soon as they hit their teenage years, he’d probably spend most of his time bailing them out of prisons. Though he supposed that wasn’t much different than what he had to do for half of his Argonauts when they were on leave.

He had tried broaching the subject of dropping off the babies with Shaw’s parents a few times, but she always shut down that conversational thread the instant he brought it up. She simply wouldn’t have it.

Too bad.

Rade changed out of his fatigues and freshened up in the head. When he returned, Shaw was lying on the bed.

“I’m feeling a little under the weather,” she said. “I don’t think I’ll be joining you in the wardroom for dinner tonight.” Because of the nausea, Shaw rarely prepared him dinner these days, and they got most of their sustenance from the robot chef.

“What do you want me to bring you?” Rade asked.

“I’ll just have a bun or something,” Shaw said.

Only Lui, TJ and Tahoe remained in the wardroom. As the biggest men, they had the healthiest appetites, and were cleaning off what was no doubt their second plates of chicken and rice. The rest of the crew had retired.

In the center of the table sat a ripped bag, with chicken chips spewing from it across the white cloth.

“Why didn’t the robots clean this up?” Rade reached toward the chips to do it himself.

“Bender told the robots he’d tear off their heads and stuff them up their collective asses if they touched his chicken chips,” Tahoe said.

Rade sighed, then collected the chips, putting them into the remnants of the bag. When finished, he set the bag on the edge of the table and sat down.

“Tell me, are the two of them getting out of control?” Rade asked Tahoe.

“They’ve been cooped up aboard for most of the past six months,” Tahoe said. “They just need a mission to get them back into the swing of things.”

“I hope so.”

The robot chef appeared and filled Rade’s plate with chicken and rice, along with a serving of salad.

“What do you think we’ll find tomorrow?” Lui said.

“At the Russian base?” Rade said between mouthfuls of rice. “I’m not sure. Though the Russians will deny anything is amiss, I’m sure.”

During the message exchange with the base, Rade had told the Russians that the Argonaut intended to conduct scientific research on the composition of the mantle near the edge of the temperate zone. That was a good excuse, but Rade and his team also needed a plausible reason to enter the base itself. Surus had obtained approval from the Russian government to use the base’s surface exploration vehicle, and Rade had showed that approval to the base commander, giving him the excuse he needed. Still, no doubt the Russians were wondering: if his was indeed a crew of scientists, why did they arrive within an armed Marauder class ship?

“You think they suspect the real reason we’re here?” TJ asked. The Italian had changed into a T-shirt and cargo pants to flaunt the tattoos of mechs and rivets inked into his arms.

“That we’ve come to capture a Phant?” Rade said. “It’s possible. Especially if the Phant is in control of the base. But if he’s hidden among them, biding his time within an Artificial host, then the scientists will have no idea. They’ll be caught by surprise when we emerge from the shuttle with our rifles and subdue the base.”

Rade finished his meal and bid the three of them good night. They stayed behind to play some sort of VR war game.

Rade collected a bun from the galley for Shaw and returned to the stateroom. Inside, Shaw was fast asleep. Rade kissed her on the forehead, set the bun down on the nightstand near her, and then joined her on the bunk.

Might as well get some sleep. Tomorrow’s going to be a long day.

The mattress sunk deeply underneath him, drawing her recumbent form into him. She murmured softly, apparently waking for a moment, then snuggled against his chest and fell asleep once more.

Rade rested a hand uncertainly on her belly. It felt odd, knowing that there were two unborn human beings resting inside, just underneath the skin. He had completed his biological purpose by creating those twins.

Now he faced the long, arduous task of raising them.

He wasn’t sure he was up to the task. He didn’t feel ready. He had tried to plan for what was coming, both mentally and physically. There wasn’t much he could do intellectually, other than visualize the best future he possibly could for his unborn children. On the physical side of things, he had 3D-printed a bunk-bed style crib and rearranged the already cramped stateroom to fit it. After reviewing the child rearing VR experience with his Implant, he quickly changed his mind and, against Shaw’s objections, he had moved the cribs to sickbay—he didn’t need crying babies keeping him up all night, not when he had a ship to run. The argument he had with Shaw over that move was epic, and she hadn’t talked to him for days thereafter. She had thawed, eventually, but maybe she was finally starting to realize that he wasn’t the best father material.

I was made for fighting wars, not raising children.

He had downloaded nursing programs into two Centurions, Cora and Dora, who he planned to assign to sickbay 24-7 after the birth. Combat robots acting as wet-nurses. That would be fun to see. And probably a little bit humiliating to the Centurions in question.

Yes, he had done all he could to plan for what to him was really an unplanned pregnancy. Shaw had essentially blindsided him, stopped taking her contraception pills on a whim, thinking it would give him a reason to stay alive on missions. The problem was, he already had all the reasons he needed to stay alive, some of which included her, others his men, and still others his own drive and unwillingness to ever give up. But she hadn’t seen that, for some reason. Perhaps it was the odd behaviors he exhibited at times. He would shut himself away in the head, or his jumpsuit, and refuse to talk or see anyone for hours on end. So maybe he was partly to blame for the strange conclusions she had drawn about him.

So he couldn’t really feel mad at her. And after all, despite his misgivings, this was his biological purpose, as much as he might try to delay or deny it.

But for all his preparations, the fact still remained: he didn’t feel ready. He supposed no parent ever was, no matter how much planning he or she did.

Rade gently patted Shaw’s belly and withdrew his hand.

Good night, little ones.

two

Rade and the others were suiting up in the mech hangar bay. Although they planned to journey to the surface via the shuttles, which were located in the first hangar bay—where more jumpsuit lockers awaited—the team preferred the customized gear they had here. The jumpsuits in the first bay were meant more for the combat robots than anything else.

Rade began donning the tight cooling and ventilation undergarment—it was difficult stretching the designated holes in the fabric over the different hardpoints protruding from his knees, hips, shoulders, elbows, and wrists, but he managed after much flexing. Beside him, the other Argonauts similarly struggled, the muscles in their necks and arms cording. Not all of them had hardpoints embedded in their joint regions like him, but some of the men had definitely put on some weight since their younger days. Rade would have to increase PT and start food rationing at this rate.

We’ve been spending too much sedentary time aboard this ship.

He wished there was enough room to install a proper running track. The small gym aboard with its weights and treadmills was one thing, but an actual track another thing entirely. For jogging purposes, nothing really beat the latter.

He made a note on his Implant to increase PT at a minimum once they got back from this mission.

Rade finished putting on the undergarment and began donning the actual suit itself. He leaned inside the locker to grab the torso assembly, but it snagged on one of the internal hooks and it took him a moment to free it.

He heard what sounded like scuffling nearby—the squeak of boots on the deck, and the sickly thud of fists striking flesh.

He stepped away from his locker to gaze at the Argonauts suiting up beside him. Not unexpectedly, Manic and Bender were exchanging rapid punches to their midsections. They must have had eyes on the backs of their heads—either that or one of the other Argonauts had sent a text message to their Implants, because they immediately pulled apart and did their best to act like nothing had happened. They both wore leg assemblies, but had yet to don the remainder of their jumpsuits, so they continued suiting up.

Blood dripped conspicuously from Manic’s nose.

“That time of the month, is it?” Bender said. “Need a tampon, bitch?”

“Huh?” Manic said.

“You got blood dripping from your pussy,” Bender clarified.

Manic frowned, apparently confused, but then some sensation must have returned to his upper lip, because he wiped the blood away, giving Rade a sheepish smile. His front teeth were crimson.

Rade shook his head. “Get that cleaned up, Manic.”

Bender reached behind his utility belt and offered Manic a baby wipe.

Manic casually grabbed the proffered tissue from Bender. “Thanks.” He dabbed at his nose. “I still can’t believe you keep baby wipes in your utility belt, though.”

“That’s because you’re a bitch,” Bender said, smiling to expose his golden grille. It was also covered in blood, coincidentally.

“You keep the wipes because I’m a bitch?” Manic said. “Or I can’t believe it because I’m a bitch?”

“Both,” Bender said.

Manic finished wiping his nose. He casually examined the crimson tissue in his hand for a moment, and then tossed it to Bender.

“Son of a bitch!” Bender batted the tissue aside as if it were a deadly frag grenade. “Don’t throw your bloody snot rags at me you sick mofo!”

“I’m a sick mofo!” Manic said. “Hear that, bros?”

“I think he meant it in the negative sense,” Lui said.

“Dude, you’re the dumbest bitch I know,” Bender told Manic.

“And you’re the smartest,” Manic grinned.

Bender stared at him uncertainly, apparently unable to think of a suitable comeback. Finally, he grinned, and said: “That’s right.”

The pair continued dressing in silence.

Rade decided to ignore the incident. He didn’t want to dock their pay even further for the month, as it was getting low enough already.

He glanced at Tahoe and sent him a text: They just need a mission to get them back into the swing of things, you say?

Tahoe shrugged and sent back: They’re just getting themselves into the Phant hunting mood. I wouldn’t worry about it. Trust me. They haven’t been fighting any more than they normally do.

I’ve just been noticing it more, you’re saying? Rade sent.

Precisely, Tahoe replied.

Probably because Shaw was pregnant, Rade thought, which made all the little flaws in the environment around him stand out even more readily. 

Rade shook his head. He told her having kids aboard was a bad idea, but did she listen? Nooo...

He dismissed the negative thoughts. He had a mission to focus on.

He finished suiting up and the inner environment pressurized. The sonic injector in the glove introduced an accelerant into his bloodstream, allowing his body to rapidly acclimate to the suit.

He walked into the external passageway and made his way to the second hangar bay, where the shuttles were waiting. Two combat robots were coming along for the mission: Algorithm and Brat. Like Cora and Dora and the other Centurions, Rade had decided to stop thinking of them as Units A and B and so forth, and instead mentally referred to them by the nicknames TJ had assigned. Hopefully, it would help him to stop treating the robots as if they were expendable. Their AIs were sentient and self-aware, and not just some expense on a balance sheet for tax purposes.

The combat robots had suited up. It wasn’t entirely necessary for the Centurions to wear jumpsuits, but Rade usually had the robots joining the party do so, if only to make them indistinguishable from the humans among the squad—in combat situations, humans were often targeted first, as they were usually in command. Also, since the robots didn’t actually use any of the oxygen tanks or liquid meal replacement stores in the suits, they were effectively carrying along a readily available backup supply.

Surus was there, next to the jumpsuit lockers, along with another woman, presumably the Artificial that hosted Corunna. The two had apparently arrived late, and were in the process of suiting up. They had only just donned their cooling and ventilation undergarments, and were pulling on the leg assemblies of the jumpsuits.

Corunna momentarily glanced at the party, then continued to apply the suit. Rade felt his heart rate quicken slightly when he saw how ravishing she was. Corunna was just as beautiful as Ms. Bounty—Surus’ host—but it was the novelty factor, the newness, that made her looks all the more potent in Rade’s eyes. He reminded himself that she was a robot covered in artificial skin, with an AI core currently possessed by an alien. But apparently not all of the crew were able to make that distinction...

“Damnnnnn.” Bender walked toward her immediately.

“What is it with these Greens?” Fret said. “They always have to choose the most beautiful bodies.”

Bender reached her, then took off his helmet and held it in one arm. He removed his glove.

“Well hello there,” Bender said, extending a hand. “I don’t think we’ve been properly introduced.”

Corunna ignored Bender entirely as she shrugged on her upper body assembly.

“Here baby, let me help you with that.” Bender extended an arm toward her.

Surus’ hand shot out and grabbed him before his fingers could reach the other woman. “Bender, please. As you value your life, you will refrain from touching her.”

“What, you’re saying she’s even more unfriendly than you?” Bender asked.

“Trust me, you don’t want to touch Corunna,” Surus said.

Bender frowned, then broke free of Surus’ grasp. “Fine. I didn’t want to talk to the bitch anyway.”

Bender angrily shoved on his glove as he retreated, and gruffly reattached his helmet.

“Aww, look at Bender pout,” Manic said.

“Shut the eff up, bitch,” Bender told him.

“Now I see why Bender usually sticks exclusively to men,” Fret commented.

Bender’s hand shot out and he grabbed Fret by the handle on his chest assembly, hoisting him into the air. “If you don’t shut it—”

“That’s sweet,” Corunna said suddenly. She was gazing at her boots as she pulled them on. “Surus told me about you, Bender. She said you were one of the bravest humans she ever met.”

Bender dropped Fret as if he didn’t exist, and turned around to face her. He seemed stunned. “She said that?”

“She also said you could be crude at times,” Corunna said. “But it was your way of showing affection.”

“Crude?” Bender said. “I don’t even know the meaning of the word, hot-stuff. I’m the biggest gentleman you’ll ever meet.”

Manic and Fret snickered.

Corunna pulled on her gloves and then donned her helmet. When the suit pressurized, she finally turned toward Bender and met his eyes. She extended a gloved hand. “I am Corunna. It is an honor to meet you all. The humans who fought in the First Alien War. The humans who helped defend my homeworld from the Hydra. I must apologize if I seem rude. I am unused to this concept of socializing. And Bender, know that I struggle to contain my essence inside these hosts. If you had touched the skin of my Artificial, there was a chance I would have flowed onto your arm, and accidentally incinerated you.”

“Oh,” Bender said. “I appreciate your not doing that.”

Bender glanced uncertainly at her proffered hand.

“It’s safe, now that I’m wearing a jumpsuit,” Corunna said.

“Who’s the pussy now?” Manic said.

“Hey, his hacker name is Pussywillow, after all,” Fret said.

“Har har.” Bender shot the two a scowl, and then shook her hand.

Corunna moved between the others, shaking theirs in turn.

“Thank you for agreeing to take on this mission,” she told Rade.

“I actually didn’t have much choice in the matter,” Rade said. “Surus told me we were going to this planet, and here we are. She pays us, after all.”

“No,” Corunna said. “I meant, thank you for taking on the arduous task of Phant hunting, in general. You could have said no. Instead, you help us. And for that I will be forever grateful.”

Bender stepped forward. “Well, to prove how grateful you are, let’s plan drinks sometime. Me and you. When you’re better able to contain your liquidy green self, I mean.”

“That may be quite some time, unfortunately,” Corunna said.

“How long are we talking?” Bender asked. “A couple of weeks?”

“No,” Corunna said. “Decades. Perhaps centuries.”

“That’s fine,” Bender said. “Look me up in two hundred years.”

“Leave it to Bender to plan his lays two hundred years in advance,” Manic quipped.

“Hey, it’s all part of the long game,” Bender said. “I’ve had lays take years before. You gotta plant the seeds early to profit in this game. Look at how long it took the boss and Shaw to finally get together.”

Corunna activated the reflective coating of her faceplate, concealing her features.

“Why the mirrored faceplate?” TJ asked.

“Since I have trouble containing myself to my host, sometimes my natural form breaks through to my face,” Corunna explained. “Making it look like I’m perspiring green droplets. Thus, I have learned it is best not to reveal myself to people in general, if I can help it.”

“But we know who you are already,” Tahoe said. “It’s not going to faze us.”

“Even so,” Corunna said, “it makes me more comfortable, knowing that you will not see me during one of my lapses.”

This Phant is weird, Lui texted on a private squad channel, directly to the Implants.

They’re all weird, Fret replied.

Why are you texting? Tahoe returned. Create a private comm channel.

Too lazy, Lui sent.

As if creating a private comm channel is harder than making a private text channel! Bender sent. WTF bitches!

The group proceeded into the shuttles. All of them were armed with laser rifles, including Corunna—Rade had given her authorization. Surus carried a Phant stun rifle in addition to a laser rifle.

Since only two combat robots were coming with them, the Argonauts could have fitted entirely within a single shuttle, but it was safer to take two. And besides, he didn’t have to worry about the expenses—Surus covered the launches as this was a Phant-related mission.

Rade took his seat aboard the Dragonfly-shaped shuttle. Clamps telescoped in from either flank, securing him. The others assigned to the shuttle took their places beside and across from him.

After boarding, Bender said: “And I thought Surus was smoking. They’re like the hottie sisters. Never seen aliens with finer asses. I can’t believe that hot bitch has been hiding on this ship all this time without introducing herself to me. I’d be laying her already if she had. I’d teach you a few things about charm, Manic. Why—”

“Uh, you’re speaking on the common band,” Surus said.

An expression of sheer panic came over Bender’s face.

“So much for the biggest gentleman she’ll ever meet, huh?” Manic said. “Guess you just ruined your long game...”

The panic quickly vanished. “Not at all,” Bender said nonchalantly. “This is all part of it. Hot and cold, baby. Her pussy’s soaking wet right now.”

“She doesn’t have a pussy,” Manic said. “She’s a robot.”

“Hey, Artificials are anatomically correct,” Bender said. “Just ask Harlequin. Right, Harley boy?”

“You would know that about Harlequin,” Manic said.

“Bender and I are lovers,” Harlequin announced. “We—”

“Shut the hell up, AI!” Bender said. “The only thing I love about your ass is slamming my boot against it!”

“So that’s what he calls his snake...” Fret said.

“You bitches are lucky we’re about to deploy,” Bender said. “That’s all I can say. If you didn’t have faceplates protecting you, the two of you would be missing teeth right now.”

“Don’t let our faceplates stop you,” Manic said.

“You run an interesting team, Mr. Galaal,” Corunna said.

“I do indeed.” Rade glanced at the overhead map. All of the Argonauts had boarded the two shuttles. “Harlequin, preflight check, please.”

“Yes, boss,” Harlequin replied.

Rade glanced at the cockpit area, where Harlequin resided in the pilot seat. Shaw had sat there on the last few missions. A part of him would miss her during the operation, but another part was relieved that she was staying aboard the Argonaut and out of harm’s way. Then again, just because she remained on the ship didn’t mean she was completely safe: the Argonaut had been attacked and boarded by intruders in previous missions.

Still, in his mind, staying aboard the Argonaut was far safer than participating in away missions. It also meant one less person he had to worry about down there—or in her case, three people, if he counted the unborn twins. While she could hold her own in a firefight, if he had his way, he would have preferred she stayed behind for every operation. Unfortunately, Shaw could be a little stubborn when it came to that.

Still, after the twins are born, I could always order her to remain behind when missions come up. She recognizes my authority over the ship, after all. She always has. She might pout and cry about it, but she’ll listen.

He smiled sadly. He knew he couldn’t do that to her. If she wanted to come, wanted to fight, who was he to hold her back? She owned most of the ship, after all. And all of his heart.

A call from Shaw came in while Harlequin performed the preflight check on both shuttles. She remained on the Argonaut’s bridge, at her astrogator station.

Rade picked up, voice only.

“Thinking about me?” she asked.

“All the time,” Rade said. He tried to inject some sarcastic humor into his voice, but instead the words came off stilted.

“I’ve thought about the names you suggested,” Shaw said. “I like them.”

“Good,” Rade said. “I knew you’d see reason. Naming your kids so they sound like pet cats is never a good idea.”

Shaw giggled. “Max and Jojo aren’t cat names.”

“Yeah well, they’re certainly not human names,” Rade said. “Maybe we can use those on some of the Centurions.”

She laughed again. “I’ll be the official robot namer, going forward.”

“You will indeed,” Rade said.

“Alex and Sil,” Shaw said, becoming serious.

“That’s right,” Rade said.

“Perfect names for perfect twins.”

“Agreed.”

“I almost wish they weren’t fraternal,” Shaw said. “Identical twins would be so much fun. Can you imagine the confusion and all the little games they’d play on us?”

“I’m sure it would have been a blast,” Rade commented dryly. He glanced at the flashing light on his HUD. Harlequin was signaling that he had finished the preflight check of both shuttles. “Anyway, it’s time to launch.”

“I know,” Shaw said. “You be careful down there, you hear?”

“Always am,” Rade said.

“Ha!” Shaw said. “You always say that.”

“And I’m always careful,” Rade insisted.

Shaw sighed audibly. “Okay well, before you go, just so you know...”

“Yes?”

“I don’t want you to think that just because we’re having kids, I’m never participating in a drop again,” Shaw said. “I’m not going to be a permanent babysitter, remember that.”

“The thought never crossed my mind,” Rade lied.

“Liar,” Shaw said.

“Okay, maybe a few times,” he joked. “But hey, I’m sure our expensive combat robots will love playing babysitter in the future.”

“I’m sure they will,” Shaw said. “Seriously, be careful down there, my warrior.”

“You, too,” Rade replied. “Don’t let any unsavory characters board my ship. Not including the men, of course.”

“Good thing you added that qualifier,” Shaw said. “Because if I was counting the Argonauts, I wouldn’t be able to let any of them aboard. Except maybe you.”

“Yes, I’m a paragon of virtue,” Rade said. “I’m switching over to the main comm. Talk to you there.” He activated the common band. “Shaw, do you read?”

“Loud and clear,” Shaw answered.

“That’s right, boss,” Bender said. “Try to pretend the two of you weren’t having a nice lovey-dovey chat a few seconds ago. I saw your lips moving behind your faceplate. Ooo, Shaw, I loooove you. Ooo, Rade, me too! Come sex me up one more time before you go?”

“We were talking about the mission,” Rade said firmly.

“Of course,” Bender said with a knowing glint in his eye.

“Tahoe, take us out,” Rade commanded.

Tahoe, who was aboard the first shuttle, gave the orders for the ramps to close, and then instructed the shuttles to launch in turn.

three

Rade felt the zero gravity immediately when the craft traveled into the void of space. He dismissed the sudden queasiness in his stomach. Even after hundreds of shuttle trips, he still felt nausea when entering the void. He wasn’t entirely certain if that was actually due to the zero gravity, or some premission jitters triggered by it. 

He switched to the viewpoint of the shuttle’s external camera, and kept his head very still so as not to worsen his nausea. The black ball of Daedalus V awaited below, eating up the stars. The Argonaut sheltered in the shadow of the planet, so that the dark side faced the starship, and the shuttles.

As the craft continued forward, the binary stars rose into view from beyond the horizon. The photochromatic filters in the camera autogated, compensating for the sudden brightness. The first star was white, the size of a fist, while the second was bluish-white, and about as big as a thumbnail. The two were separated by the span of a finger, and both were egg-shaped, thanks to the gravitational pull of their neighbor, but the condition was more pronounced in the bigger star—material from the corona streamed toward the smaller, so that it appeared similar to a balloon with one side stretched out of proportion. The coronal gases formed an accretion disk as they spiraled around the bluer star. Usually, such celestial disks emitted incredible amounts of cosmic radiation as the gases were accreted.

“How are the radiation levels?” Rade asked.

“The magnetosphere is deflecting most of it,” Harlequin said. “And the shuttle armor is protecting us from the rest.”

“What about heat levels?”

“Negligible at the moment,” Harlequin said. “Though the heat will steadily increase as we approach the surface.”

The two suns remained close to the black horizon of the planet as the shuttles continued toward the destination, and eventually the stars began to retreat beneath the far side of the hemisphere once more as Harlequin piloted the craft downward. After a few minutes the suns appeared to set, although their afterglow continued to delineate the distant horizon. Or perhaps that was the incandescence of the lava oceans just beyond. Either way, Rade suspected that if there had been an atmosphere on the planet, the sky would have been colored the red of predawn.

Rade focused on the Russian research station set amid the solidified lava field below. White and blue landing lights illuminated a sprawling series of solid, mirrorlike domes connected by can-shaped passageways on the black surface. There were no obvious defenses anywhere to protect the base from aggressors or meteor impacts. Though admittedly, given that the research station was nestled well within Russian territory, the chances of an attack from pirates or other aggressors was low. As for meteor impacts, that particular planetary system was old enough for most of the comets and asteroids to have settled into fixed, known orbits, and with the advanced tracking and predictive technologies available to modern humans, any impacts would be anticipated up to four years out—ample time to summon a tow ship to change the orbit of the incoming object, or to evacuate.

“What’s the surface temperature around the station?” Rade asked.

“One hundred seventy, the same as we detected in orbit,” Harlequin said. “Welcome to the so-called temperate zone.”

“Temperate my ass,” Bender said. “It’s like being invited to a marshmallow roast only to find out we’re the marshmallows.”

“Why am I not surprised that you found a way to say marshmallows and ass in the same sentence?” Manic said.

“Because you can’t get man buns off your mind,” Bender said. “And it was two sentences, bitch.”

The shuttles approached one of the larger domes of the station, which was lit by red and blue lights. Rade could see the twin reflections of the two craft on the curved surface.

“Hmm,” Harlequin said. “The hangar isn’t opening.”

“I thought we received pre-approval for landing?” Rade asked, glancing at Fret.

“We did,” Fret answered.

“Shaw, find out what’s going on,” Rade sent. “Harlequin, begin circling. Instruct the first shuttle to do likewise.”

A few moments later:

“This is odd,” Shaw said from orbit.

“What is it?” Rade asked.

“I’m not getting any response to my docking request,” Shaw answered. “Nor to any other communications I send, for that matter.”

“But Fret was just talking to them an hour ago,” Rade said.

“I was,” Fret agreed.

“Well, they’re not responding now,” Shaw said.

“I’m not sure, but I believe I just received a landing approval signal,” Harlequin said from the pilot seat. “Unfortunately, the hangar still isn’t opening. Wait. There it goes.”

The dome the two Dragonflies were circling parted down the middle, and the twin halves rescinded, revealing a hangar platform housing three more shuttles underneath. These were Russian models: their drooping fuselages and angled wings gave them the appearance of mosquitoes.

“Have a look at those fine Skeeters,” Lui said.

“If it weren’t for the lack of weapon mounts,” TJ said. “I’d almost assume they were military.”

“This base is certainly well-funded,” Tahoe said from the first shuttle.

“Probably why our prey chose it,” Manic said.

“Those are certainly exceptional Russian models,” Fret said.

“Mm-hmm, I love me my Russian models,” Bender said. “And I’m not talking about shuttles.”

In moments the twin halves of the dome had retracted completely, vanishing within a circular track that surrounded the hangar platform.

“Shaw, they’ve opened the doors,” Rade sent.

“Has to be an automated system of some kind,” Shaw said. “Because they’re still not answering comm requests.”

“Could be their main comms have gone down?” Fret said hopefully.

“A bit of a coincidence, isn’t it?” Rade said. “The comms go down just when we arrive...”

“Do you want me to deploy the Hoplites?” Shaw asked.

“No,” Rade told her. “They won’t be of any use to us down here. The mechs won’t fit the tight corridors of the base. You can see the cramped connecting passageways from orbit, can’t you?”

“I see them,” Shaw replied.

“Do you want to land, boss?” Harlequin asked.

Rade made a split decision. “We land. But Tahoe, I want your shuttle down there first. In the interim, keep circling, Harlequin.”

The shuttle containing Tahoe’s team landed.

“It’s clear,” Tahoe said a moment later.

“All right,” Rade said. “Harlequin, take us in.”

Harlequin brought the Dragonfly down, landing beside the first shuttle.

“I’m not detecting our prey,” Surus said. “Either the Phant fled before we arrived, or Corunna’s information was wrong.”

“It wasn’t wrong,” Corunna said.

“Should we abort?” Fret asked.

“No,” Rade said. “We came all the way here. We should at least check why the scientists aren’t answering.” He glanced at Harlequin. “Ramps down. Tahoe, I want two defensive formations around either shuttle.”

Led by the robots, the two fire teams poured from the shuttles, rifles held at the ready. They assumed cigar-shaped formations around either Dragonfly. Rade followed Surus and Corunna out on drag. From the middle of the defensive configuration around his shuttle, he scanned the surrounding Skeeters.

“Fret, try to contact the base personnel now that we’ve landed,” Rade said. “Tahoe, I want every shuttle checked. Confirm they’re empty. TJ and Bender, time to put your hacking skills to use.”

Rade proceeded toward the far side of the hangar, and assumed a position near the airlock hatch that led into the rest of the base. He noticed an empty vehicle stall next to the rim of the retracted dome segment; beyond it, tread marks ran back and forth across the surface. Obviously some sort of ground-based exploratory vehicle was ordinarily parked there, though it was missing at the moment. Perhaps it was the surface exploration vehicle that Rade was using as the pretext for their visit to the base.

“I don’t suppose there’s any way to tell which of these tracks is the most recent?” Rade said.

“No,” Lui replied. “Not with any of the equipment we have with us, anyway.”

From the circular track that surrounded the hangar, the two halves of the dome began to rise once more.

“That can’t be good,” Lui said.

“Fret, have you heard anything from the base scientists yet?” Rade asked.

“Nope,” Fret said. “I’m guessing automated systems are responsible for closing the doors.”

“What do you want to do, boss?” Lui said.

“Let it close,” Rade said. “If we have to, we’ll shoot our way out.”

The two halves silently joined at the top, sealing the team and their shuttles inside the dome.

Rade spotted white mist emerging from vents near the bulkheads.

“The hangar is pressurizing,” Lui said.

“I figured as much...” Rade said.

“I’ve successfully escalated my privileges,” TJ said from beside one of the Russian shuttles. “This Skeeter is mine. The rest should be just as easy, assuming they’re running the same firmware, and there’s a good chance they are.”

“Open it up,” Rade said. “And send in the combat robots.”

TJ obeyed, and the Skeeter’s ramp lowered. The two Centurions went inside. Rade heard their footfalls transmitted through the rapidly building atmosphere.

“Clear,” Brat said.

“You’re such a brat, bitch,” Bender told it.

“I learned from the best,” Brat replied.

“You’re such a funny AI,” Bender said. “When are you going to hold a comedy run? Can I come?”

TJ opened the remaining shuttles in turn, and Algorithm and Brat swept each one.

“All right,” Rade said. “That’s out of the way. Confirm one thing for me, TJ: you have control of the shuttle ramps, but how about the flight systems themselves? If we need to fly them, can we?”

TJ paused.

Bender answered. “Yep!”

One of the Skeeters powered on, its engines humming to life.

“All right,” Rade said. “Turn it off, Bender. Turn it off!”

“You got it boss,” Bender replied. The engines died.

“Quit showing off,” Manic said.

Bender turned toward him. “Okay bitch, listen up. When a bunch of alien baddies attack, and this place is about to fall, and you’re begging me to give you a ride to the stars on this here Skeeter because all the other shuttles have been blown to hell, I’ll remind you of what you said here. And I’ll let you aboard out of the kindness of my heart. Even though you shit your pants in fear and stink up my ride, I’ll do that for you.”

“Awfully kind of you,” Manic said.

“Has the atmosphere stabilized yet?” Rade asked. He glanced at the vents but no longer saw the white mist. That didn’t mean the oxygen and nitrogen molecules had stopped venting inside, however, but rather that the pressure was enough to hide the flow of new air.

“I think so,” Lui said. “The airlock should be ready to open.”

“Okay,” Rade said. “I want the HS3s to go in first.”

TJ ordered four HS3s from each shuttle forward, and the small head-sized drones buzzed into place outside the hatch. The four rotors each drone possessed allowed them to function in atmospheric conditions, but they also carried propellant at extremely high pressures to enable void operations.

“Open the outer hatch,” Rade said.

He waited several seconds, but nothing happened.

Rade glanced at TJ.

“Working on it...” TJ said.

Guess I was a bit premature in prepping the HS3s.

“Got it!” Bender said.

The hatch opened.

Rade glanced at Bender. “We only need one person to hack the doors at a time. Too many people working on it can reduce the available bandwidth, and slow everyone down. I want that person to be TJ for the time being.”

Bender lowered his gaze. “Sorry, boss.”

“Ha!” Manic said. “Told you to quit showing—”

“Manic, enough,” Rade said.

“Sorry,” Manic said.

“TJ, the HS3s...” Rade said.

The four scouts flew into the airlock, which terminated in another door two meters inside.

“Looks like protocol requires the outer hatch to close before I can open the inner,” TJ said.

“Do it,” Rade said.

The door spiraled shut. Rade switched to the point of view of one of the HS3s, and waited for TJ to achieve control of the inner hatch. Finally, it too opened.

The HS3s entered the cylindrical connecting passageway beyond. Overhead HLED lights illuminated relatively nondescript metal bulkheads.

“Damn it’s cramped in there,” Bender said. “Tight as a snail’s pussy.”

“Not like your ass after Manic’s done with it, huh?” Fret said.

“More like the other way around,” Bender said.

“Wait a second, how would you know how tight a snail’s pussy is?” Manic said.

“Why don’t you bend over and I’ll show you,” Bender told him.

“You’re the one named Bender...” Manic said.

“That’s right,” Bender said. “Because I make bitches like you bend over.”

Up ahead, the corridor opened into another dome. It was a hydroponics compartment, judging from the profusion of greenery. The HS3s moved between the troughs of fern-like flowering plants that lined the deck. 

“Well, at least they’re self-sustaining,” Lui said.

“Send out a LIDAR burst,” Rade said.

That burst would dispatch laser light throughout the compartment. Billions of photons would scatter across the chamber; some would invariably bounce behind the foliage and troughs, providing a map of everything, including those areas currently occluded from the view of the HS3s.

Rade overlaid the white wireframe generated by that LIDAR burst onto his vision, but saw no obvious human shapes lurking behind any of the foliage. He spotted three more exits to the compartment, however.

“Fret, have you heard anything from the scientists yet?” Rade asked.

“Negative,” Fret said. “Even the station’s AI seems to be offline. Everything is run by non-sentient automated systems.”

“Let me know if you get an answer,” Rade said. “TJ, have the HS3s spread out. Map the station.”

four

Rade waited patiently as the HS3s separated and proceeded to explore the different domes and the passageways connecting them. The scouts employed LIDAR bursts liberally, and soon they had mapped out the entire base, from the personnel quarters, to the galley, to the various research labs that seemed to deal with soil and mineral analysis.

“So it’s deserted...” Rade said.

“It would appear that way, yes,” TJ said.

“Even though we were just in contact with their representative an hour ago,” Rade said.

“Could be our Phant was in contact with us,” Surus said. “And the representative we spoke to was its host.”

“It evacuated after giving us the clearance to land?” Rade asked.

“It would seem that way,” Surus said.

“Tell me about this evidence you obtained,” Rade told Corunna, “regarding the existence of the Phant in this system?”

Corunna turned her mirrored faceplate toward Rade. “One of my eyes and ears working in Russian customs detected the Phant when it crossed the Gate into this system.”

“So you’ve equipped humans with Phant detectors, then, it sounds like,” Rade said. “Surus, how come you haven’t shared that technology with us?”

“I didn’t think it was wise to share it with you,” Surus said. “If such tech gets out, it could be used to hunt us Greens.”

“So I take it you disapprove of what Corunna has done,” Lui said.

“Yes,” Surus said. “But it did succeed in detecting this Phant.”

“Or so we think,” Tahoe said. “Could be that her Russian agents are playing with her.”

“All right, here’s what we’re going to do,” Rade said. “TJ, I want you to reboot the AI if you can. And if you can’t, at the very least I want you to check the station logs. Let’s see if we can piece together what happened here.”

The team proceeded inside the base and made its way to the control center that contained the AI core. This was located inside what was essentially a closet set into the far wall of one of the soil analysis labs.

“It’s a model 82A,” TJ said, standing before the core. “I’m going to have to remove it before I can initiate the reboot. It’s password protected, but I think I can override that.”

TJ removed the long tube that contained the station AI’s computational essence. It was the size of an adult human arm. He opened up a panel in his wrist assembly, and connected a male wire into a female port on the top of the tube. Bender was scowling at him, probably pissed because he wanted to be the one doing the hacking.

As Rade watched, a series of circular lights activated, revolving around the circular rim of the tube.

“Got it,” TJ said. “I’m replacing the core.”

TJ slid the tube back into the open panel of the closet.

Rade received a connection request immediately.

“Bender, accept this connection, make sure it’s free of malicious data,” Rade said.

Bender nodded eagerly. A moment later: “Bitch is clean.”

Rade accepted the connection.

“Privet,” the station’s AI said via his Implant. “Ya Mosksva.”

“Command language, English,” Rade stated.

“Greetings, I am Moskva,” the station’s AI sent. “AI of the research station Leningrad. Please state name and set new password.”

“Rade Galaal, beta gamma five two five,” Rade said.

“Thank you, Mr. Galaal,” Moskva said. “How can I be of service to you?”

“Tell us what happened here,” Rade said.

“The inquiry is lacking,” Moskva said. “Your question is missing adequate temporal references. Please rephrase.”

“Deal with it.” Rade waved at TJ sharply. He didn’t have the patience to speak “AI” that morning.

In a few moments TJ reported in: “Looks like the memory core has been wiped. Personnel logs, camera feed data, crew manifest... all gone. As far as the AI is concerned, it’s been activated today for the first time.”

“Why am I not surprised?” Rade said. “I don’t suppose any of its data is recoverable?”

“Negative,” TJ said. “The raw bits were completely overwritten with random data.”

“How long would that take, given the size of the holographic memory core?” Rade said.

“Not long,” TJ said. “Considering the speed of modern holographic drives, about fifteen minutes.”

Rade turned toward his Argonauts. “Theories?”

“The Phant obviously incinerated all the human personnel and then wiped the AI,” Tahoe said.

“But what about any robots or Artificials?” Lui said. “Where did they go? And don’t try to tell me there were no Artificial researchers. Or any servant robots.”

“At a station like this, you’d at least expect a robot chef,” Manic agreed.

“The Phant wouldn’t have been able to incinerate the robots of course,” Surus said. “But there would be nothing to stop our prey from possessing each robot in turn, and perhaps relocating them.”

“Relocating them?” Rade said. “To where? Outside? If the robots went out without protection, they would have melted in what, an hour?”

“Systems failures would have occurred in under an hour, yes,” Harlequin said. “But perhaps that was the Phant’s plan? To eliminate every form of life on this base, whether human or AI?”

“Why bother to destroy everyone?” Tahoe said. “Why wouldn’t the Phant simply leave the base?”

“Maybe the human personnel pissed it off,” Lui said.

“That’s possible,” Fret said. “So it killed them all, and then fled the base to hide on the surface somewhere out in the temperate zone, just beyond Surus’ detection range. And it’s waiting for us to leave?”

“Interesting theory,” Rade said. “But what’s to stop us from sabotaging the shuttles, stranding it on this world?”

“The Russians would send an investigative team to the planet eventually...” Shaw said from orbit.

“True,” Rade said.

“Maybe it intends to hitch a ride on one of our own shuttles,” Manic said.

Rade glanced at Surus. “You’d detect the Phant if that happened, correct?”

Surus nodded behind her faceplate. “It would be relatively easy to determine if the Phant was hitching a ride, because I’d sense its presence all the way into orbit.”

“What about the missing exploratory vehicle?” TJ said. “Robots or human personnel could have used it to flee the station when the Phant attacked. Or our prey may have fled in it himself, after killing everyone. He could have stowed any robot remains inside.”

“The missing vehicle certainly allows for a bunch of different scenarios,” Rade said. “Though they all distill down into one probable outcome: we find the vehicle, mostly likely we find our Phant.”

“I can agree with that,” Surus said.

“With the AI back online, do we have full control of the station?” Rade asked TJ. “Specifically, the hangar bay doors?”

“We do,” TJ said. “We can open and close them at will.”

“Good,” Rade said. “Algorithm and Brat: I want you to return to Shuttle A and launch. Do a low-level sweep of the area, all spectrum channels. Find me that missing exploratory vehicle.”

When the robots departed, Rade ordered the Argonauts to assume a defensive stance, protecting all entrances into the soil analysis lab. Meanwhile, he had the research station’s AI give him access to the external cameras, and he cycled through the different feeds, searching for any signs of life out there.

About ten minutes after the launch of Shuttle A, Algorithm reported in. “We’re getting a signal ping. Located about half a klick to the northwest. I believe it’s the exploratory vehicle.”

“Proceed toward the ping,” Rade instructed. He switched to the external camera of the Dragonfly, and watched the shuttle fly low across the surface. Its headlights illuminated the dark rock below. The solidified lava field was broken into rocky terraces and crags, with basalt occasionally protruding in columnar structures.

The Dragonfly came to a halt before a dark gash hewn into the rocky surface.

“The pussy slit of doom,” Bender commented.

“Kind of like your sister’s?” Manic said.

“Shut it!” Bender said.

The shuttle edged forward, illuminating the start of a downward sloping cave system.

“It appears the signal is coming from inside,” Algorithm said. “The shuttle can’t proceed any further, as the cave is too narrow.”

“What’s the temperature like out there?” Rade asked.

“Steady at one hundred and seventy one degrees Celsius,” the robot replied.

Rade glanced at Lui. “How long can the HS3s last in that temperature?”

“Same as our jumpsuits,” Lui replied. “About ten minutes. But if the cave system continues to trend downward, the temperature will potentially drop rapidly, extending that lifespan.”

“All right,” Rade said. “Algorithm, deploy one of the HS3s. And then find a clear spot to land nearby.”

“You got it, boss,” Algorithm replied.

The shuttle ramp must have opened, because a moment later Rade saw the metal blur of an HS3 pass in front of the camera. He switched to its point of view.

The HS3 headed into the tunnel. The temperature was shown in the upper right of the display. One hundred and seventy degrees. The digits flashed red, indicating that the heat was critical.

Rade concentrated on the main video feed. The headlamps illuminated walls formed of black, glassy rock, covered in several tiny steplike depressions. Likely a form of obsidian. The cave was wide enough to fit at least two Hoplites abreast, and definitely could fit an exploratory vehicle. Though it was a little too small to fit a Dragonfly.

The HS3 continued its advance into the tunnel, whose features otherwise remained unchanged. Rade couldn’t tell by sight if the cave sloped downward, but according to the altimeter the height continued to decrease. The temperature dropped as well, another sign of the descent: one sixty five. One sixty. One fifty.

At one twenty, the temperature indicator stopped flashing, meaning the HS3 was no longer in danger of thermal failure.

The temperature dropped rapidly in the next few moments, going from the boiling point of water to freezing in a matter of seconds, and then heading down into the negative double digits over the next minute.

“Will the HS3 hold up to the rapid temperature change?” Rade asked.

“It should,” Algorithm answered. “I could slow the advance if you want, but I don’t think it will make a difference.”

“Keep going, then,” Rade said.

He noticed patches of white and gray occasionally appearing on the tunnel floor.

“What are those white patches?” Rade said.

It was Lui who answered: “Sulfur dioxide frost.”

At that point, the signal began to freeze and pixelate intermittently.

“The HS3 is reaching the upper limit of its signal range,” Algorithm reported.

“Send in the remaining HS3,” Rade ordered. “Use it as a repeater to extend the range.”

On the overhead map, Rade watched another blue dot emerge from the shuttle and enter the tunnel.

The video feed solidified a moment later, and the lead HS3 continued its descent.

Here, different sections branched off, but Rade had the scout stick to the main tunnel.

In a few moments, the HS3 arrived at what appeared to be the exploratory vehicle. It was a long, segmented craft with articulated steel bands covering the wheels, forming treads.

“Take the HS3 closer to the vehicle,” Rade ordered.

“Should we attempt a hail on all channels?” Lui asked. “Maybe we’ll be in range of someone who can answer?”

“At this point, no,” Rade said. “If our prey is in there, we’ll only be warning him.”

The HS3 flew close to the segmented vehicle. In the front was a wide windshield—the cockpit appeared empty inside. Behind it was an entry hatch, currently closed.

“As far as I can tell, it’s abandoned,” Algorithm said.

“What was that?” Tahoe said.

“What?” Rade asked.

“Algorithm, back up the HS3 a bit,” Tahoe said.

The HS3 retreated.

“There,” Tahoe said. “Stop! You see those footsteps?”

Gray soot of some kind had settled on the cave floor near the vehicle’s entry hatch, and it showed footsteps heading away into one of the nearby side tunnels. The passage was too small for the exploratory vehicle, but still big enough to fit a Hoplite.

“Is that snow on the ground?” Fret said.

“The consistency is more like soot,” Lui said. “Solidified sulfur dioxide.”

“We’re going to lose communication with that HS3 unless we two Centurions go inside to act as repeaters,” Algorithm said. “Either that, or you must send the second shuttle, and load it up with some of the HS3s you’ve kept behind at the research station.”

“I think at this point we’ll want to personally join you,” Rade said. “Surus, we need you in there to get a bead on whether or not our prey is waiting within.”

Surus fingered the stun rifle she carried. “I’m ready.”

“So what’s the plan?” Manic said. “We take the remaining shuttle there and then we hurry inside? If the HS3s could survive the heat until reaching the cooler inner cave system, we can, too.”

“Chi ha capo di cera non vada al sole,” TJ said. “He who hath a head of wax must not walk in the sun.”

“The Italian Rapscallion strikes again!” Bender said.

“Harlequin, what do you think?” Rade said. “How long can our jumpsuits last in that heat?”

“As Lui mentioned: ten minutes, maximum, if we’re lucky,” Harlequin answered. “We’d have to quickly make our way to the layers of cooler air inside the cave. Also, keep in mind that with each minute of exposure, the chances of total life support failure steadily increase... the moment we emerge from the shielded shuttle, the risk of failure starts at ten percent, steadily increasing to one hundred percent by ten minutes.”

“So you’re saying as soon as we emerge, there’s a chance our suits could fail?” Fret said.

“That’s correct,” Harlequin replied.

“I’m not sure I like the sound of that,” Fret said.

“Suck it up, skinny little bitch,” Bender said.

“I say we deploy the Hoplites,” Tahoe interjected. “The thermal armor of the mechs can handle the heat of the temperate zone no problem.”

“The tunnels we’ve seen so far certainly look wide enough to contain Hoplites,” Lui agreed. “We could land them near this research station, and load into the cockpits within seconds after opening the dome. Plus, we have no idea what to expect deeper in that cave. If the Phant has a trap in store for us, we definitely want the mechs, I’d say.”

“Though you’re assuming the tunnels will remain big enough to fit the Hoplites,” Manic said. “We’ve brought mechs into tunnels before, and were forced to abandon them when the passageways tightened. Plus, that exploratory vehicle could be a red herring, placed there to divert us from the Phant’s real location.”

“Maybe,” Tahoe said. “But I think when we go the only thing we have to watch out for is the shuttles.”

“What do you mean?” Manic said. “Surus has added shielding to the AI cores of the Dragonflies. We won’t have to worry about losing them to the Phant while we’re exploring the cave.”

“I know that,” Tahoe said. “I’m talking about the Russian shuttles here at this base. They’re not shielded. While we’re gone, the Phant might return and reactivate one of them, taking it to our ship.”

“Oh yeah....” Manic said.

“Doofus!” Bender said.

“Like you thought of that,” Manic said.

“I did, bitch-tits man,” Bender told him.

“I don’t have bitch tits!” Manic exclaimed.

“You do,” Bender said. “Don’t know how to use your juice properly.”

“Shaw won’t let any of the Russian shuttles leave the base,” Rade said quickly, forestalling any further bickering between the two.

“I’ll reduce any unauthorized Skeeter launches to debris,” Shaw confirmed.

“We could always disable the Skeeters before we leave,” Lui said. “Use our mechs essentially as loader units, and remove the power cores. Those shuttles will be useless until we reload the cores.”

“I’d prefer to keep the Skeeters on standby,” Rade said. “In case we need them in an emergency.”

“I still think we should send the robots first,” Manic said. “What if we’re merely tilting at windmills?”

“The eff you talking about?” Bender said. “Tilting at windmills. Bitch talk right there.”

“It means imagining enemies where there are none,” Manic explained. “Like Lui said, the exploratory craft might be a diversion. The Phant may have retreated in the opposite direction entirely, with no intention of returning, at least not until we’re long gone.”

Rade considered their options and then made up his mind.

five

We take the mechs,” Rade said. “I’m going to assume that the Phant is lying in wait somewhere in the tunnel system, likely planning an ambush of some kind. I’m not going to risk entry without Hoplites. Presuming the client is okay with the expense...” He glanced at Surus, who ultimately was responsible for reimbursing him for the cost of deploying the Hoplites.

“I have no intention of sparing any expenses on this hunt,” Surus said.

“All right, Shaw,” Rade said. “I want you to drop nine of the Hoplites, along with the necessary booster rockets we’ll need to get back.”

“Only nine?” Shaw said. “You don’t want me to send Nemesis for Corunna?”

Nemesis was Shaw’s Hoplite; while Rade could have ordered the mech dropped as well, he wasn’t sure he trusted Corunna enough to allow her to pilot it.

“No,” Rade said.

“Do you want me to take the second Dragonfly to the cave?” Corunna said. “And proceed inside on foot?”

“No, that’s probably not a good idea,” Rade said. “It’s best to limit your exposure to the heat, even if the temperature rapidly drops off inside the cave. When the jumpsuit fails, your host body will quickly follow.”

“What do you want me to do then?” Corunna said. “Surely you’re not going to make me stay behind?”

“When the Hoplites arrive, you’ll have to share a cockpit with someone.” Whoever did that would have to give up control of their mech to the Hoplite’s AI, as the inner actuators couldn’t properly envelope the pilot when there were two individuals crammed aboard.

“She can share mine,” Bender volunteered. Behind his faceplate, he flashed that golden grille of his.

Rade ignored the request. “Shaw, send the nine Hoplites at your earliest convenience, if you haven’t already, along with the booster rockets. Leave Nemesis aboard. Surus, you’ll share your cockpit with Corunna when Sprint arrives. Algorithm and Brat, remain with Shuttle A outside the cave. You’ll stay there in a support position for the duration of the mission. Shuttle B will join you shortly.”

“Understood,” Algorithm replied over the comm.

Rade and the others proceeded through the abandoned research station until they were back inside the hangar bay dome.

After a few minutes, Shaw transmitted: “The comm nodes of the mechs should be within signal range soon.”

Rade glanced at his overhead map. Sure enough, nine blue dots had appeared overhead, indicating the descending mechs. About a klick to the west of those were another nine green dots, indicating the booster rockets the team would need to achieve escape velocity and return the Hoplites to the Argonaut.

The blue dots touched down at various spots within an eight hundred meter radius of the base, and bounded across the surface, eventually rendezvousing outside the dome.

“Argonauts, contact your mechs,” Rade said. “Make sure they’re ready to receive you.” He tapped in the AI of his particular Hoplite: “Electron, do you read?”

“Loud and clear.”

“How are you holding up out there?” Rade asked.

“All systems operational,” Electron replied. “I heard it’s supposed to be hot out here? If so, I certainly can’t tell.”

“Was that a hint of sarcasm I detected in your voice?” Rade said.

“Only a hint,” the AI replied.

“All right, get ready to open up the cockpit,” Rade said. “I don’t want to stay exposed out here any longer than I have to.” Over the general comm, he sent: “Argonauts, assume positions along the perimeter closest to your mech.”

Rade weaved between the four remaining shuttles and approached the edge of the dome. According to the map, he stood directly across from the Hoplite labeled Electron that waited on the other side. 

“Everyone ready?” Rade asked.

He was answered by a chorus of ayes and yeses.

“TJ, the dome...” Rade said.

The airlock hatch sealed on the far side of the compartment and Rade heard a soft hiss—he knew the air was evacuating from the hangar. In seconds there was only silence.

Above, the dome split down the middle and the two halves began folding open. The heat rose rapidly; Rade waited impatiently for the curved door in front of him to lower.

Halfway down, a temperature warning flashed on Rade’s faceplate.

Rade took several deep breaths, doing his best to ignore the warning. Harlequin had said there was only a ten percent chance of failure in the first few moments of exposure. But a ten percent chance compounded among ten people meant a higher overall chance that one of their suits would fail. Rade wasn’t liking this, not one bit.

When the dome half reached a quarter of the way down, Rade had enough. He activated his jetpack and arced over the remaining segment. The black landscape appeared before him; below awaited a mech with a hull the same color. It stood out because of Rade’s Implant, the bulky humanoid shape outlined in blue.

“Here I come, Electron!” Rade sent.

The cockpit hatch opened and Rade landed inside. The inner actuators enveloped him as the hatch sealed. The warning indicator faded as the temperature dropped.

The camera feed piped into his vision as Rade gained control of the mech. He looked down on the lights of the research base from the height of the Hoplite. He saw the blue outlines of the other mechs standing around the perimeter of the open dome. The other Argonauts were all embedded within the cockpits: like Rade, they had jetted over the rescinding dome halves to enter their Hoplites ASAP as well.

He stacked the vital signs of his companions into the upper left of his display. All green. Corunna and Surus shared Sprint’s cockpit. He checked the mech status indicators next: all systems operational.

“Ah mechs, my old friends,” TJ said.

“Nine Hoplites,” Bender said. “We’ll outnumber the bitch nine to one. Should be a breeze.”

“Be very careful not to underestimate our opponent,” Surus said. “I’m sure by now you’ve learned that Phants are a crafty, clever bunch.”

“Un nemico è troppo o cento amici non bastano,” TJ said. “One enemy is too many, and a hundred friends too few.”

“What is it with you and the Italian proverbs today, dude?” Bender said. “Have you been reading up on quotes or something? Or you just want to remind everyone you’re Italian?”

“Guess I’m just in a reflective mood,” TJ replied.

“Headlamps on,” Rade said.

Lights activated across the mechs, illuminating the rocky terrain beyond the research station. There was no point proceeding forward in stealth mode, as their enemy no doubt possessed technology of an equal tech level. Rade and the others would readily show up on a LIDAR band, for example, regardless of whether they used their headlamps. If the Hoplites were equipped with LIDAR blurring tech, he might have considered it. Unfortunately, that feature wasn’t available to the current model of mech.

“Tahoe, take us to the cave,” Rade said.

Tahoe organized the squad into two fire teams and had them proceed toward the destination in traveling overwatch. Rade was part of the second team, which followed fifty meters behind the first. The cautionary formation probably wasn’t needed, but then again, it was possible that some proxy of their prey watched from the nearby crags, ready to attack.

Rade instructed Electron to maintain the Hoplite’s position in the zigzag formation, and he switched his point of view to the scope of his cobra. Using illumination from the focused beam of the weapon light, he scanned the terrain suspiciously. The stabilizing super-gimbal allowed him to carefully study the nearby columns of basalt just as if the weapon were mounted on a bipod.

“Surus, let me know the moment you detect our prey,” Rade said.

“Trust me, I intend to,” Surus replied.

The minutes ticked past. The Hoplites bounded silently over the terrain of the temperate zone. Rade kept an eye on the thermal and radiation levels, but both remained constant.

The first fire team passed the waiting Shuttle A, and proceeded past it to the cave entrance, where they halted. Surus, who was part of the first fire team, announced: “I’m detecting the presence of the Phant.”

Rade nodded. “All right. Shuttle B, proceed.”

The team had loaded most of the remaining HS3s into the second shuttle, leaving only two behind to observe the research base from within.

On the overhead map, Rade watched the craft’s indicator depart the scientific station. In moments, it hovered above the cave entrance, and the ramp opened. The HS3s rolled out, firing propellant to descend into the cave.

“TJ, I want them in stealth mapping mode,” Rade said. “No hails. Three hour time limit.”

“You got it,” TJ replied.

“Also, hold the original HS3 by the vehicle until we arrive,” Rade said. “I don’t want it exploring that path with the footsteps just yet. Same with the others. They are to explore every other tunnel, except that one.”

“Understood,” TJ said.

Mapping mode meant the HS3s would spread throughout the cave system, passing beyond signal range, and returning only when they had completed their map, or the three hour limit had elapsed, whichever came first. Beside lack of communications, stealth mode also meant the HS3s would operate without lights, and employ periodic LIDAR bursts to navigate and map the terrain, retreating at the first sign of any tangos. That mode probably wasn’t all that helpful, given the expected tech level of their enemy, but since operating in stealth wouldn’t hinder the HS3s in any way, Rade decided the scouts might as well employ it.

“Meanwhile, let’s move in,” Rade said. “Deactivate signal pings.” Those were automated pings sent out by communication subsystems in an attempt to link with other nodes to form a wireless adhoc network.

The Argonauts proceeded into the cave, the second fire team following the first. Those obsidian walls enveloped them with their black, glassy surfaces.

Downward the team marched, traveling from the hot surface to the cool insides beneath the planet. Rade could almost feel the weight of the thousands of tonnes of rock pressing down overhead.

Different sections of the tunnel branched off, but Rade and company remained on the main tunnel, heading toward the exploratory vehicle. Many of the HS3s were still in range, and a glance at the overhead map showed him that those different branches were slowly being mapped out. One had already terminated in a dead end, and the HS3 mapping it was on the way back.

The Hoplites soon came upon the segmented exploratory vehicle with its steel treads. As instructed, the HS3 waited near the tunnel with the footsteps.

“TJ, open the vehicle,” Rade said.

A moment later the exploratory vehicle’s entry hatch slid aside.

“Fast hacking job,” Fret commented.

“Send the HS3 inside,” Rade said.

The small scout zipped into the hatch and mapped out the interior. Rade watched from its viewpoint, but there was nothing of note inside.

“TJ, see if you can remotely access the vehicle’s AI,” Rade said.

TJ reported in: “I was able to get access. It’s not very sophisticated, unfortunately. Nothing like the AIs we have aboard shuttles. It’s smart enough to run the vehicle’s subsystems, but if you’re looking for data logs or anything of that sort, all I have are its previous travel records. Apparently, the scientists used the craft to visit this cave system often. Likely to collect samples.”

Rade studied the passage beyond the exploratory vehicle. The black dust on the floor contained several overlapping footsteps. It was impossible to get an estimate of how many had passed that way.

“So what you’re saying is, they might have entered this cave to get samples many times in the past,” Rade said.

“That’s right,” TJ said. “There’s no way to tell if it was used recently.”

“All right,” Rade said. “Send the HS3 into the passage. Hoplites, we follow. Let’s see where these footsteps lead.”

“Looks kind of tight,” Fret sent.

“We’ll fit,” Tahoe said.

The HS3 led the way, and the Hoplites followed in single file twenty meters behind.

“Shaw, do you still read?” Rade said.

“I do,” she replied. Her voice digitally distorted. “But not for much longer.”

Rade nodded to himself. “Looks like we’re going in the black for a while.”

“Maybe divert some HS3s from their mapping purposes to act as repeaters?” Shaw said.

“Even if I did, it would only increase our range for a little while longer,” Rade said. “Besides, there’s not really much you can do right now if the shit hits the fan anyway. Last I checked, Hellfires and lasers can’t penetrate five hundred meters of obsidian.”

“No, I suppose not,” Shaw said. “Be careful down there.”

Rade proceeded forward for another few moments, and Shaw’s indicator finally blinked out.

“We just lost contact with the Argonaut,” Fret said.

Rade piped in the viewpoint of the lead HS3. It passed into a wider cavern surfaced by shards of sharp-looking obsidian. The footprints vanished, as there was no longer any soot coating the ground.

“That floor looks like a jumpsuit grinder,” Tahoe said. “You trip on that, your suit is getting punctured.”

“If the research scientists came this way, they crossed very, very carefully,” TJ said.

“The presence of our prey just got stronger,” Surus said. “It’s definitely somewhere ahead.”

There was only one exit to the cavern, a small opening on the far side.

“Um,” Fret said. “Our mechs aren’t going to fit that.”

“He’s right,” Lui said. “If we want to follow that HS3 inside, we’re going to have to proceed on foot.”

“What say you, boss?” TJ asked.

“I’ll make up my mind when we reach the cavern,” Rade said. “Hold the HS3 near the opening to that exit in the meantime.”

Rade and the other Hoplites reached the cavern and spread out. They approached the opening, their big metal feet easily shattering the sharp fragments underfoot. The target cave was about half the size of a Hoplite; it would fit the jumpsuits of the pilots in single file only. Inside, the smooth sooty floor had returned, as had the footsteps.

“The pussy of doom just got tighter,” Bender said.

“I thought you liked them tight,” Manic commented.

“Wrong,” Bender said. “You’ve misread me all these years. The looser, the better.”

“So what’s the plan, boss?” Tahoe said.

“TJ, send the HS3 inside, lead by forty meters,” Rade said. “I want the scout to maintain LIDAR burst mode. Everyone else, dismount and retrieve your laser rifles. Tahoe, arrange the marching order.”

The Hoplites knelt, and the cockpits fell open, allowing the Argonauts to climb down onto the sharp rocks.

“Headlamps on, people,” Rade said.

Careful not to trip, Rade and the others opened up the storage compartments in the leg regions of the mechs and retrieved the rifles they had stowed there.

Tahoe placed Lui on point, followed by Bender, Rade, Surus, Corunna, Harlequin, Fret, and Manic, with TJ and himself bringing up the rear.

Rade ordered the Hoplites into guard mode. And then he said: “Lui, lead the way.”

Lui, on point, stepped into the smooth-floored cave and said: “Who’s up for a little spelunking?”

six

Rade kept the video feed from the lead HS3 piped into the upper right of his vision; it was composed of a three-dimensional wireframe, as produced by the LIDAR bursts.

Directly in front of him, his headlamp illuminated Bender’s jumpsuit, and the obsidian walls of the tight tunnel. Rade could raise his arms only a few centimeters before encountering the obdurate stone on either side. Overhead, his helmet sometimes scraped the ceiling, forcing him to duck now and then. And he thought the presence of thousands of tonnes of rock pressing down over his head was palpable before...

Rade glanced at the map. Most of the HS3s were out of range now, continuing to map the extents of the cave system. Before leaving comm signal range, none of them had reported anything unusual.

In a few moments, Fret said: “I’m picking up signal pings directly ahead. Consistent with ten Russian profiles. Should I hail, or otherwise allow comm linking?”

“Not yet,” Rade said. “Everyone else, maintain signal ping silence. Headlamps off. No point in giving them any advance warning.”

“But if the Phant is with them,” Lui said. “It already knows we’re here, thanks to Surus and Corunna.”

“That’s a good point,” Rade said. “Even so, I want headlamps off, because our prey won’t know where they are with any precision. Use the LIDAR map for guidance.”

The tunnel descended into darkness. Rade switched to the LIDAR map created by the HS3, and continued. Ahead of him, Bender was outlined in blue, thanks to Rade’s Implant.

The HS3 approached an opening, according to the three-dimensional wireframe. Rade saw a dim outline set upon the floor beyond, and he realized there was an active light source inside.

“Disable all LIDAR bursts,” Rade said. “Looks like we won’t have to worry about giving away our position after all. TJ, halt the HS3 at the edge of that opening, capture an image of the cavern beyond, and then retreat.”

TJ complied. In moments, Rade had a picture of the following chamber. He saw thin columns with thicker, rounded bases. Several humanoid shapes—some possessing the bulk of jumpsuits—lounged between them. Near the center of the chamber, a rectangular-shaped box composed of several blue horizontal glow bars provided the light. 

“Looks like we got at least six jumpsuits,” Lui said, describing the shapes. “I think they’re strength enhanced, but they might be ordinary environmental suits. And see those four individuals near the front? The ones with the thin bodies? Security robots.”

Rade could agree with that assessment. The aforementioned four were all servomotors and polycarbonate limbs, with flat visors in place of faces. Two were facing the opening, two the far side of the chamber. They carried rifles, and stood guard while the other six lay against the different columns. Those latter six were unarmed.

“The Phant has to be hiding among them,” Surus said.

“Should we get them to evacuate the chamber?” Lui said. “Order them back to our Hoplites so we can more readily interrogate them?”

“No,” Rade said. “I don’t want to give the Phant a chance to escape.”

“But as you told us, it would have sensed the presence of Surus and the other Green by now,” Tahoe interjected. “If it wanted to escape, it would have already.”

“Maybe,” Rade said. “But then again, maybe not. Bender, Lui, you’re going to enter first. Target the weapons of those robots with the help of your onboard AIs, but if necessary shoot their centers of mass and disable them entirely. Don’t announce your presence; let your rifles do the talking. Surus, you’re going to follow Bender and Lui inside. I want you to stun the four robots after they’ve been disarmed, and then the individuals in the jumpsuits, just in case the latter group contain Artificials, or humans with cybernetic attachments capable of hosting Phants.”

“Will do,” Surus replied.

Rade and the others flattened against the wall and Surus squeezed forward to assume a position behind Bender and Lui in the cramped tunnel.

“Let’s get closer,” Rade said.

The Argonauts approached the opening. Bender and Lui halted just beyond the edge of the dim blue light cast by the source inside. Surus hovered close behind them. Bender glanced at Rade expectantly.

“Proceed,” Rade ordered. He switched to Bender’s viewpoint to watch.

Bender and Lui rushed inside, Bender going high, Lui low. They unleashed two quick shots with their lasers, disarming the closer robots. As the farther robots spun around to face them, Bender and Lui fired again, burning holes through the rifles of those automatons as well.

Surus moved forward. She fired her stun rifle four times in rapid succession, and the robots dropped to their knees, electricity sparking across their metallic skins. Then she unleashed the electrolaser on the six jumpsuits in turn. The plasma channel created by the stun weapon wouldn’t harm any humans inside those suits, other than providing a momentary sense of discomfort as all the hairs of their bodies stood on end.

“Search them!” Rade said as the remaining Argonauts hurried inside. He switched back to his own viewpoint.

Surus and Corunna ran forward, quickly examining the different robots and jumpsuits. If a Phant was present, they would have seen signs of it bubbling to the surface near the AI core regions.

Surus moved from the fallen robots to the stunned men in jumpsuits, and after examining the last of them, she glanced at Rade with a solemn expression. “Our prey isn’t here.”

“But you still sense it?”

“Yes,” Surus said. “Strong as ever. It’s somewhere in this cave system.”

Those in jumpsuits were on their knees, like the robots, and had their hands raised over their heads. The other Argonauts had trained their rifles on each of them.

Rade quickly surveyed the chamber. He saw another exit leading to a tunnel on the far side, which explained why two of the robots had been watching that quarter.

“Tahoe, Manic, secure that exit,” Rade said. “Bender, Lui, watch the rear passage.”

The four assumed positions on either side of the two openings.

Surus gathered the recovering robots and herded them toward the jumpsuits, so that the Argonauts could readily cover them all with their laser rifles.

“What do you want?” one of the jumpsuit-clad individuals said, via the external speakers on his helmet. He spoke Russian, but Rade’s Implant translated the words in realtime.

“You’re the spokesman?” Rade said, utilizing his own external speakers.

“I’m Vladimir Dartashonov,” the man said. “Lead researcher at Leningrad station.”

“Which of you are Artificials?” Rade asked the man.

Vladimir pointed out two of the jumpsuits.

Rade went to them. “Remove your helmets.”

The two complied. 

“Surus, stun them again,” Rade said.

She did so, and when the Artificials collapsed, she turned them over and examined the nape regions. “Still nothing.”

Rade glanced at Vladimir. “Why did you come here instead of waiting for us at the research station? And why didn’t you inform us of your intentions?”

“We lost communication with your ship shortly after we spoke,” Vladimir said. “Our sensors told us a massive solar flare was incoming, so we assumed that was the cause.”

“A massive solar flare?” Rade said.

“Yes, it would have arrived within the hour,” Vladimir said. “A flare that would increase the heat of the temperate zone by an order of magnitude, potentially damaging the research station. We decided to take the exploration vehicle here to shelter underground in the cave system. But I assume, since you are standing here unharmed before me, the flare never came?”

“No.” Rade glanced at Lui.

“If the Phant took control of the station’s AI,” Lui said over the private comm. “It could have reported a massive solar flare, deceiving them into evacuating.”

“Are you aware that the station’s AI has been wiped?” Rade asked Vladimir.

“I was not aware,” the Russian replied.

“You didn’t leave anyone behind at the base at all?” Rade said.

“We left the robot chef,” the man said.

“Well, it’s not there anymore,” Rade said. He glanced at Surus and sent over the comm: “Is it possible the Phant is hiding deeper inside one of the robots and Artificials? Away from the AI core?”

“If it was, it would come to the surface when stunned,” Surus said. “It only remains in place when it has embedded itself in the AI core, at which point it becomes externally visible upon the units.”

“What about that light box?” Harlequin pointed his rifle at the rectangular-shaped object covered in horizontal glow bars.

TJ stepped forward to examine it. He glanced upward a moment later, and met Rade’s eyes. “It has a primitive AI core. But I’m not seeing any signs of Phant possession.”

Rade glanced at Surus. “Stun it.”

She did so, and then checked all six sides of the container. “Nothing.”

“You know, it’s possible that the Phant was hiding out in that light box when we arrived,” Lui said. “It could have seeped into the rock while we were stunning the robots, and then moved back into one of them right before our eyes. Remember, Surus can’t sense their locations with any finer granularity... all she has is a vague sense that the Phant is here. Either a weak sense, or a strong sense. And it’s still strong right now.”

“The feeling hasn’t changed,” Surus confirmed.

“I don’t see any signs of Phant possession,” Rade said, examining the four robots, and taking a look at the necks of the two Artificials once again.

“Could be that it’s lingering deeper inside like you already suggested,” Lui said. “We won’t know, unless we stun them again.”

“Fine,” Rade said. “Surus, please stun the robots and Artificials again. Let’s make sure Lui gets his—”

A blur of motion told Rade the four robots and two Artificials were moving.

Scratch that, not moving, attacking.

seven

Rade and the Argonauts fired, downing two of the robots. The other two robots, and the pair of Artificials, grabbed the Russian personnel who wore jumpsuits and employed them as shields, swinging their bodies like clubs and attempting to batter the Argonauts. 

Rade’s laser rifle was knocked away by one of those incoming bodies. The Artificial that held it abruptly split the body in half, unleashing a gory wall of red mist. It hurled the upper body against Manic, and the lower body into Tahoe, sending them reeling backward. The other robots and remaining Artificial did the same with the other three bodies, using them to bowl over other Argonauts, closing in to attack those still left standing.

Rade found himself struggling for his life against one of the Artificials. His weapon had landed near one of the floor to ceiling pillars, but it was too far away, so he was forced to engage in hand-to-hand combat. He dialed up the strength settings of his exoskeleton to full and began deflecting those incoming blows. He struggled to recall what he had learned from his many sparring practices against Harlequin. Most robots and Artificials used a variant of the mixed martial arts program designed by the military for combat robots. For example, Harlequin employed the latest version, 2.3g.

Rade kept an eye out for the patterns inherent to that program, such as the tendency to attack from the lower right after the opponent, in this case Rade, dodged a central body blow, but so far none of those patterns manifested.

He took a hit to the faceplate, and the polycarbonate-glass composite buckled slightly, with a crack spidering across the surface. Rade took another hit to the flank, and he felt the exoskeleton momentarily dig into his ribs.

Rade sidestepped and moved forward, extending a foot while joining both arms and hurtling them backward like a club, connecting with the upper back of the Artificial’s jumpsuit. It tripped over Rade’s boot.

Rade immediately attempted the mounting maneuver. But the Artificial was quick, and turned itself around as Rade landed, so that its torso faced upward. Before Rade realized what had happened, the Artificial had reversed the hold so that Rade was lying with his back to the stone. He gripped the Artificial’s wrists, attempting to hold the hands at bay, but its gloves were slowly closing with his faceplate. It intended to puncture the already weakened composite.

Those fingers slowly edged toward Rade’s face.

“Guys, some help here...” Rade sent.

The eyes of the Artificial momentarily swam with neon green droplets, and then it blinked several times, clearing the substance. It released Rade, then stood up, raising its hands in surrender. The other Artificial was similarly surrendering nearby. The remaining two robots had been shot down by the other Argonauts, who were gathering their weapons and regrouping. The gory pieces of the dead Russians lay on the floor between them, their torn midsections covered in red crystals. 

“Surus?” Rade asked, using his external speakers to address the helmetless Russian Artificial before him.

“Corunna,” it answered.

“I’m here,” the other Artificial said. “It seems these Artificials have been reprogrammed by our prey. They had instructions to terminate us by any means necessary, with the caveat they kill the scientists in the process. Unfortunately, I won’t be able to reprogram them. At least not within any acceptable timeframe. They are quite useless to us. You will have to destroy them.”

“Is there any information on the robot chef?” Rade said.

“Some,” the Artificial said. “It’s not strictly a robot, but an Artificial. Seems to be your standard chef model. Female. Also served as a sex surrogate for most of the researchers, it seems.”

“These dirty little scientists,” Bender said. “Copulating with their robot chefs.”

“Wouldn’t you?” Manic said. “If you were stationed on the far end of nowhere?”

“No,” Bender said. “I’d copulate with you, my bitch.”

“Is there any other information of note within those AI cores?” Rade asked.

“Nothing pertinent, I’m afraid,” Surus said.

“Corunna?” Rade said.

“No,” the Artificial directly in front of him replied.

Rade glanced at Bender and Lui. “Take them out.”

“I feel kind of bad doing this to you, Surus,” Bender said. “Actually, I don’t.”

He opened fire at the same time as Lui.

The two Artificials collapsed with bore holes drilled through their forehead regions.

Green mists emerged from either body, and Rade and the others stepped back to give them room. The vapors returned to the jumpsuit-clad bodies of Ms. Bounty and the other Artificial serving as host to Corunna. The jumpsuits of those two didn’t contain the Phant-repelling EM emitters like the others, so their return was assured.

“I’m back,” Surus said a moment later.

“Corunna?” Rade asked.

“I have transitioned as well,” she replied.

Rade was relieved—he had been worried that their prey might have taken over one of the friendly Artificials after the Greens left them.

Rade ignored the cracks spidering his faceplate as he gazed at the wreckages of the four robots.

“The robots were reprogrammed, too?” Rade said.

“Most likely,” Surus said. “Either that, or blackmailed in some way.”

His eyes drifted to the dead bodies. “We’ll have to get Shaw to notify the Russian government of this incident when we’re back within comm range. Next of kin need to be notified.”

“I’ll let her know as soon as we return,” Fret said.

“No, I’ll do it,” Rade said. He glanced at Surus. “You’re still reading our prey?”

“I am,” she said. “The strength of its presence is the same... it’s still somewhere nearby. I suggest we retreat to the Hoplites to explore a different branch of the cave.”

“The remaining HS3s should be reporting in by then,” TJ said.

Rade glanced at the small opening on the far side of the room.

Lui followed his gaze. “It gets tight in there real fast,” Lui explained. “Not much sense in proceeding that way. Though to be complete, we should still dispatch the HS3.”

“Do it, TJ,” Rade said.

The HS3 proceeded into the forward opening. Rade switched to its LIDAR-computed viewpoint, and watched as the tunnel diminished with each passing moment, until the HS3 was proceeding along a narrow gap along the floor.

“I don’t think we’re going that way,” Rade said. “Even if we doffed our jetpacks, our bulky suits would never fit.”

Tahoe seemed relieved. “For a second there, I thought you were going to press on anyway.”

“You had a bad experience with a tight cave and a few bugs back in the First Alien War, if I remember correctly?” Fret said.

“Certainly wasn’t a good experience,” Tahoe said.

“Recall the HS3,” Rade said. “If the Phant is hiding in that tunnel, it’s out of reach for the moment.”

“You have to wonder why the researchers were guarding the forward tunnel with two of their robots?” Manic said. “If it’s so tight...”

“Dunno,” Lui said. “The robots were probably following their usual combat routines, and the Russian researchers simply didn’t know any better.”

When the scout returned, Rade had TJ send it ahead to lead the way back to the Hoplites.

The group returned to the cavern that housed the mechs shortly. The Phant wouldn’t have taken control of the Hoplites, of course, thanks to the special anti-Phant EM emitters surrounding the AI cores.

The Argonauts boarded their respective units. Rade noticed that Surus entered her cockpit alone, and had Corunna strap in to the passenger seat above the jumpjets—Surus wanted to pilot the Hoplite, apparently, rather than relying on the onboard AI. At least for the moment.

Rade checked the overhead map and saw that much of the cave had been filled out. Most of the HS3s were on the way back and had returned to communications range. Two had already reached the cavern where the Hoplites resided and were waiting. However to the west, past the cavern that housed the exploratory vehicle ahead, there was still a big black region.

“HS3’s Five and Six still haven’t returned from the inner sections of the cave,” TJ said.

“They were dispatched to the west?” Rade asked.

“How did you guess?” TJ replied.

“That’s the first place we explore, then,” Rade said.

The party retreated toward the exploratory vehicle.

As soon as Rade had contact with Shaw again, he updated her on the situation, and gave her instructions to notify the Russians of the deaths.

“So we’re still hunting that Phant,” Shaw said.

“We are,” Rade agreed. On a private channel, he added: “It’s eerie as hell down here. Be glad you’re up there rather than down here.”

“Honestly, I’m starting to regret my decision to stay aboard the Argonaut,” Shaw replied.

“You shouldn’t,” Rade said. “Yours is probably the most important task of all.”

“What, protecting the twins?”

“You guessed it,” Rade said.

“Capturing Phants is more important for humanity, though,” Shaw said.

“Maybe,” Rade said. “But protecting the twins is more important to me.”

“And me as well,” Shaw agreed. “Guess that makes us traitors.”

“No,” Rade said. “It makes us human.”

The Hoplites reached the side passage that led to the western regions of the cave.

“Send three HS3s forward,” Rade instructed.

The scouts moved into the cave, and almost immediately Rade saw that the tunnel floor exhibited the familiar soot. Boots had thoroughly packed it down so that footprints were only partially visible along the edges of the floor.

“Looks like an army passed through here,” Tahoe commented.

“Obviously the research scientists explored this tunnel the most in the past,” Lui said.

The Hoplites entered the tunnel and followed twenty-five meters behind the HS3 scouts, which kept their headlamps inactive and navigated via LIDAR bursts alone.

Rade lost contact with Shaw once again shortly thereafter.

The tunnel branched off twice, and Rade left an HS3 behind to guard each one.

The lead HS3 approached an unlit opening.

“TJ,” Rade instructed, “have the scout halt in front of that opening and send out a final LIDAR burst, then retreat.”

The HS3 did so, and Rade studied the three-dimensional wireframe that had appeared on the map.

“Looks like a fairly wide cavern,” Manic commented. “Complete with basalt columns and jagged obsidian surfaces. But otherwise ordinary.”

“And what about those funnel shapes on the far wall?” Fret said. “Those look almost like starship engines.”

“Starship engines!” Bender said, erupting in laughter. “What a moron.” His voice became high pitched as he mocked Fret. “Hey look guyzzz! We found starship engines! Starshipzzzz! Wheeeee! I like starships better than pussies! If I was given the choice between five bitches and five starships, I’d pick the starships every time!”

“Bender, please,” Rade said.

“Sorry boss,” Bender said. 

“Obviously those aren’t part of a starship,” Manic said. “That particular formation only looks that way by chance.”

“Could be,” Rade said.

He examined the rest of the visualization data. There was a mining vehicle in the chamber, about the same size as the exploratory craft they had encountered earlier, consisting of a large drill bit connected to a boxlike cabin. Beside it were several supporting digger units, such as tractors and shovels, some of them mechanical, others laser-based.

“It seems like there’s nothing else of note in the cavern,” Rade continued, “other than those diggers, and the tunnel opening on the far side. TJ, send in the HS3 to explore the cavern. Activate its headlamps.”

eight

Rade watched from the drone’s point of view as it circumnavigated the columns and digger units to finalize the cavern map. It paused beside the funnel shapes protruding from the far wall. The things were massive, towering shapes that could fit at least five Hoplites stacked one on top of the other, and ten abreast. They were definitely composed of a different material than the surrounding obsidian: too smooth and symmetrical to be natural, and made of some kind of metal. The nozzles were slightly hourglass in shape, and the rim was lined with smaller rectangular panels that formed an inward-facing circular pattern reminiscent of flower petals.

“Those definitely seem like the kind of propulsion-based nozzles you’d associate with a starship,” Lui said. “Look how massive they are. And get a load of those panels inside the rim... I’d guess they steer the flow of the propellant, negating the need for the nozzles to twist in place. Maybe Fret is right...”

“Let’s check it out,” Rade said. “Bender, lead the way.”

Bender led the Hoplites inside, and they headed toward the far wall containing the nozzles protruding from the rock.

The Hoplites shone their headlamps into the different nozzles and examined them. Inside, the far ends terminated in turbine-like structures. 

“Told you they were starship engines,” Fret said. “Who’s the moron now, Bender?”

“Hey,” Bender said. “I never disagreed with you.”

“What?” Fret said. “Yes you did.”

“Nope,” Bender said. “I was right there with you, agreeing that these funnels were definitely starship engines. Shit man, what else could they be?”

“I have a recording here on my Implant showing you making statements to the contrary,” Fret said.

“Bitch, your sissy little Implant is wrong,” Bender said. “Don’t make me come over there and smack you up.”

“Look at this,” Tahoe said. “It seems an opening was drilled into the inner wall of this one at some point.”

Rade switched to Tahoe’s video feed and saw a rectangular line carved in relief onto the interior of the particular nozzle Tahoe examined. It looked like a relatively small portion of the wall there had been cut open like Tahoe claimed, and then replaced. Perhaps by one of the digger tools in the cavern with them.

Rade returned to his own viewpoint and realized none of the other nozzles had similar designs carved into them.

“If this really is a starship,” Lui said. “You can imagine how extensive the armor is. That would be one thick plug the Russians would have had to remove and then reinsert into the inner wall.”

“Kind of like my own thick plug,” Bender said. “You know, when I remove and reinsert my snake.”

“Into Manic’s ass?” Fret quipped.

“No, yours,” Bender said.

“Okay, not sure how you managed to get a reference to your penis out of that,” Lui said. “But hey, I’m just Phooey Lui, remember?”

“That’s right,” Bender said. “You just wish yours was as big as mine... you with your tiny Sino-Korean dick.”

Fret made what sounded like a gasp over the comm. “You racist!” he mocked.

“Hey, we’ve all seen Phooey Lui’s dick,” Bender said.

“I’m very happy with my penis size, thank you very much,” Lui said.

“Sure you are,” Bender said. “Tell me then, how come whenever I visit a Sino-Korean station, and excuse myself to the men’s room, whenever I take a piss in one of the urinals, if there’s a Sino-Korean next to me, he’s always trying to catch a glimpse of my snake? It gets so bad I have to lean forward into the urinal to try to hide it from the jealous gawkers. Never met a Sino-Korean yet who didn’t envy my generous endowments.”

“So why would you hide it?” Lui said. “Maybe you’re not so big as you claim.”

“How many times have we showered together?” Bender said.

“I try not to look at men’s dicks when I shower...” Lui said.

“You shower together!” Fret said. “I knew it!”

“So wait a second,” Manic said. “How the hell did it get here? Underneath all these tons of rock?”

“What, my penis?” Bender said.

“No, damn it!” Manic said. “The ship!”

“Obviously this area was covered in lava oceans at some point in the past,” Tahoe said. “The ship crashed, sunk to the seabed, and the planet either changed its orbit or rotated, perhaps due to a large meteor impact—or maybe due to the very impact of this ship itself—and the ocean solidified around it.”

“Dude, you have an explanation for everything,” Bender said. “Where are you when my lovers catch me in bed with other women?”

“Harlequin, does this nozzle design match anything on record from the United Systems?” Rade asked.

“While the design does bear a resemblance to some propulsion tech found on human starships,” Harlequin said. “There is nothing on record matching this precise design, nor this immense size. At least not in any declassified documents. It is possible there was a black project commissioned by some government to utilize such a nozzle at some point, though unlikely, as the cost would be prohibitive, and there would be no way for the government in question to hide the expense from the budget. If the size of these nozzles is any indication, the associated vessel is at least five times as big as the largest supercarrier humanity has ever made.”

“So what are you saying?” Manic told Harlequin. “This is an alien starship?”

“That’s precisely what I’m saying,” Harlequin said.

“Leave it to an AI to scaremonger,” Bender said. He leaped his Hoplite, Juggernaut, into a nozzle, landing on one of the inner panels that lined the rim. “This crap isn’t alien. It’s obviously Russian.”

“Bender, get down from there,” Rade said.

“Yes boss.” Bender leaped back to the cavern floor.

“Alien or Russian, it doesn’t matter,” Rade said. “We can’t let it detract from our goal at the moment.”

“What if the Phant is hiding inside that ship?” Fret said. “What if it’s trying to take over the AI core? What if it intends to break the alien ship away from the surface and launch it!”

“While anything is possible,” Lui said. “I somehow doubt this ship is still operational—a fully functional starship isn’t just going to crash into a lava planet, you know.”

“Well, it’s obvious that the Phant got inside at some point,” Fret said. “Look at that cut Tahoe pointed out.”

“Could be that the researchers made that,” Manic said. “They tried to get inside, but failed.”

“Yes,” Fret said. “The researchers might have failed, but what about the Phant? Everyone knows they can travel through the objects of this reality pretty easily.”

“It’s true,” Surus said. “There would be nothing to stop the Phant from entering the ship and exploring. I have a mind to do the same. In fact, with your permission, I’d like to scout some of the outer portions of the interior, and report back.”

“You have my permission,” Rade said. “We’ll wait here half an hour. If you haven’t returned by then, we’ll leave a unit behind to wait for you while we continue exploring.”

“Thank you,” Surus said.

In moments green mist emerged from the cockpit area of her mech, Sprint. It floated across to the nozzle Tahoe stood before and moved inside, seeping through the portion of the inner wall that looked like it had been cut and resealed.

“Hey Ms. Bounty,” Bender said to Surus’ host. “Feeling lonely there in that cockpit now that Surus is gone? Want me to join you and keep you company?”

“That’s all right,” Ms. Bounty replied.

“What’s the matter?” Bender said. “Even an Artificial has sexual needs.”

“Actually, no, we don’t,” Ms. Bounty said.

“Hmph,” Bender said. “Don’t know what you’re missing.”

“Actually, I do,” Ms. Bounty said.

“All right, I want Hoplites placed in watch positions on either opening to this cavern,” Rade said. “I want—”

Before he could finish, an invisible force struck his mech and he was sent hurtling backward into the wall underneath the nozzles. The other Hoplites were similarly thrown backward.

Rade struck the obsidian hard, and felt the vibrations transmitted through to the inner actuators of the cockpit. His teeth rattled.

He attempted to move his spreadeagled limbs, but he was attached fast.

An instant later a small digger struck his lower body, further pinning him.

The HS3 had smashed into the cave wall beside him, its wreckage scattering across a one meter radius.

“Electron, demagnetize hull,” Rade said.

“Hull is demagnetized,” Electron replied.

Nothing happened.

Rade attempted to move once again. He was still stuck.

“Fire lateral jets, Electron,” Rade said. “Full burn.”

“Firing jets,” Electron replied.

Rade didn’t budge.

“All right, cut the jumpjets,” Rade said.

The burn ceased.

Rade glanced at his overhead map. According to the indicators, all of the other Hoplites were attached to the wall around him as well. Along with the digger units.

“Hoplites, status?” Rade sent.

“Can’t move,” Tahoe said.

“Neither can I,” Lui said. “Looks like all of our mechs are glued to the wall. I can’t rescind my cockpit either.”

“Electron, open her up,” Rade said.

“While the latch works,” Electron said. “Unfortunately, the hatch itself isn’t lowering. I am at a loss to explain it.”

“We’re like flies stuck on the curly sticky paper that comes in those rolls you hang from your bathroom fixtures,” Bender said.

“None of us have ever used that curly sticky paper ourselves,” Manic said. “Of course, we don’t all live in fly-infested hovels back on Earth like you.”

“Yeah at least I don’t got bed bugs like you,” Bender said. “I remember you coming in to the base each morning with those sores on your arms and legs. You’d try to hide them by wearing long sleeve shirts and cargo pants, but I saw them, bitch.”

“Those were hickeys,” Manic said.

“Ha!” Bender said. “Hickeys on your forearms and calves? Riiiight.”

“Uh, yeah,” Manic said. “Someone’s never had sex before.”

“Bitch,” Bender said, “I don’t know what kind of perverted sex you’re having to get hickeys on your forearms and calves.”

“Damn, but that impact really rattled my skull,” Lui said. “Kind of makes me miss the old days, you know, when we had ATLAS mechs that wouldn’t transmit external vibrations to our cockpits?”

“You realize you can deactivate that feature, right?” Tahoe said.

“And lose all earthquake warnings?” Lui said. “No thanks.”

“Uh guys?” Fret said. “Is no one else concerned about our current predicament?”

“Only you, skinny bitch,” Bender said.

“Only me?” Fret said. “Um, we’re trapped against a wall next to an ancient, super advanced alien ship, inside a cave with a Phant on the loose. And to top it off, one of our Green allies is missing. I think I’m not the only one concerned here.”

“We’re all concerned,” Rade said. “If anyone has any ideas on what the hell is going on, I’d like to hear them.”

“Speaking of our Green allies,” Manic said. “It’s convenient, isn’t it, how as soon as Surus vanishes, we all get glued to the walls? Corunna, what do you have to say about that?”

Corunna didn’t answer.

“It’s almost like Surus magnetized the ship embedded in the rock somehow, shortly after passing inside,” Lui said. “Hopefully she can find a way to reverse what she’s done.”

“I’m not sure she was the one who magnetized the ship,” Harlequin said. “The timing is off. She had only just vanished through the inner wall of the nozzle, and probably wasn’t even finished seeping through the armor into the interior proper, let alone close enough to any actual control centers that could have enabled such magnetization.”

“It’s not magnetism holding you to the cave wall,” came a new voice over the comm. “But gravity. Selective gravity, at that.”

A woman in a jumpsuit stepped into view.

nine

Rade stared at the newcomer. Behind the faceplate, the woman had Russian features. Rade accessed the public profile, which indicated the individual was an Artificial.

“Who the bitch-ass are you?” Bender said.

“I’m the chef,” the Artificial said.

“The Phant!” Fret exclaimed.

“Call me Alton,” the Artificial responded.

“How the hell did our prey get access to our encrypted line?” Lui said.

“I had help,” Alton said.

Corunna leaped down from Sprint’s passenger seat and stepped toward Alton, finally halting to stand at his side.

“Traitor!” Ms. Bounty said.

“How the hell is she able to walk away from us?” Fret said.

“The Phant did say it was selective gravity,” Tahoe said.

“No gravity is this selective, bitches,” Bender stated.

“Unless the gravitational source was created by a technologically advanced species,” Lui said. “Like the owners of the starship behind us. Or someone who stole their tech. Like a Phant.”

“Electron, try to open the cockpit again,” Rade instructed.

“The latch continues to operate,” Electron said. “But the door itself refuses to yield against the gravitational pull securing us to this wall.”

“Why have you done this, Corunna?” Ms. Bounty said.

“Tell Surus when she returns that we must be willing to sacrifice another species to save our own,” Corunna said. “The other Phants will wipe us Greens out if we don’t make peace. Better to give them this token gift, and see humanity eradicated, than face the extermination of our own kind.”

“You’re wrong,” Ms. Bounty said. “The Phants don’t have the means to wipe you out. The Greens are equally matched. At least according to the memories Surus has imparted me...”

“It may have been true, once, but not anymore,” Corunna said. She glanced at Alton. “Should we tell them?”

“I don’t see why not,” Alton said. “Surus will find out eventually, from your brethren.” The Artificial turned to address the Argonauts. “I am a Purple. A member of the clandestine branch, part of an advance group responsible for infiltrating humanity in preparation for the arrival of the main invasion force. The Russian government was my particular target. Much to my delight, they employ many Artificials in their administration, allowing for easy usurpation—the installation of cybernetics in human hosts is messy, and difficult to conceal, but Artificials are ready to go, as it were.

“Via those Artificials, I worked my way up the hierarchy of a particular Russian intelligence service. A position that allowed me access to many state secrets. Many months ago, I intercepted a message from Russian scientists at a research base, stating that they had come across an alien vessel buried deep beneath the rock of a lava planet. I prevented this message from reaching the Russian high command, and arranged it so that anyone beneath me who had knowledge about the base was eliminated, in the case of humans, or wiped, in the case of AIs. Then I set out to explore this planet for myself, leaving an intermediary AI in place lower down the chain to intercept and block any communications with the scientists. A classic man-in-the-middle attack, for those of the hacker inclination among you.

“When I finally arrived, I knew immediately that this was an incredible find. The buried ship seemed mostly intact, its hull having survived the incredible heat and pressure at the bottom of a former lava ocean. I knew the starship had to belong to a Tech Class IV race. What wonders would I find inside?

“You’ve probably guessed by now that I came across some new technology. Along with a few of the former crew, who I revived from suspended animation. I installed cybernetic components into them, and invaded their most private thoughts. I was able to learn everything about them and their technology, including the access privileges to their computer system equivalents. Once I acquired data rights to all the tech I needed, I promptly terminated the surviving crew, as they were of no further use to me: their ship will never leave this rock prison. Their technology, however, will.

“You see, I have already sent detailed plans to my brethren via the supra-dimension, along with the genetic code of those individuals I found aboard. We will integrate their advanced robotics and shielding technology with our own, cloning their species to serve as surrogates as necessary, and with that tech, no one will be able to stand against us, not even the Greens.”

“Now you understand why we have offered them a peace treaty,” Corunna said. “I have spoken with the other Greens on the High Council, and they have approved this. You know that in our region of space, the Green Mothership wars with those others of our kind, yes? Well, in exchange for the Greens ceasing all interference in Phant precursory activities in this region of space, the war will officially end. A ceasefire has already been declared on both sides. Surus is to end all hunting activities immediately. She is to let you humans prepare for the arrival of the Phants yourselves.”

“Don’t you see?” Ms. Bounty said. “The Phant has lied to you. There will never be peace among the Greens and the other Phants. I am familiar enough with the memories and character of Surus to know that she feels the same way. She will never cease hunting the Phants in this region of space.”

“Then she will be hunted herself,” Corunna said. “The terms of peace call for a thousand year hiatus between Greens and other Phants.”

“A thousand years?” Lui said. “The Phants are due to arrive in human space seven hundred years from now.”

“Yes I know,” Corunna responded. She paused as if considering her next words. “Never has a treaty of this magnitude been broken. A thousand years of peace... it buys the Greens the time we need to regroup, as well as time to steal this new technology from them, if they won’t give it to us freely as part of the terms of the peace.”

“You’re going to admit that right in front of the Phant?” Manic said.

Corunna glanced at Alton. “She already knows we intend to do this. She also knows it is inevitable that we will someday acquire the technology. Just as humans inevitably steal tech from other human nations. So while we may war again after a thousand years, at least we will be evenly matched.”

“And what happens to us in the meantime?” Rade said.

“Humans?” Corunna said. “Or you in general?”

“Both,” Rade said.

“Humans will have to fend for themselves against whatever Phants remain in this space,” Corunna said. “And when the remaining Phants arrive seven hundred years from now, you must fight them alone.”

“And so the Greens betray us after all,” Tahoe said. “I knew we should have never trusted them. We saw their true colors after what they did to the Hydra. We should have dropped Surus as a client immediately after.”

“Then we would have never learned about this most recent plot,” Rade said. “But tell me, Corunna... what about us? What happens to my team? You’re going to let us go, right?”

Alton was the one who replied. “Let you go? Hardly.”

“What if we agree never to report the location of this starship to the rest of humanity?” Manic said.

“You wouldn’t keep that promise, of course,” Alton said. “I do expect the location will get out, however. And soon. Which is why I detonated the memory cores of the ship after obtaining the data, and placed charges to destroy anything else of value inside. There are no alien bodies, either... I incinerated them all.”

“So if you’re not going to let us go...” Rade said.

Alton smiled coldly behind the faceplate. “Your lives are forfeit, of course, in repayment for the crimes you have committed against my kind. It is unfortunate that your EM emitters prevent me from incinerating the lot of you, or I would do so and be done with it. I could waste some time firing a laser rifle into your hulls, but I have something else in mind. Something far more devious. You will stay here, affixed to the wall by gravity, awaiting the fate I have in store for you. Surus will have returned, by then, and she will watch your terrible deaths, helpless to do anything.”

“What are you going to do?” Rade pressed.

“You’ll see,” Alton said. “Unfortunately, Corunna and I can’t stand around to witness it.”

Alton’s faceplate changed, projecting a hologram so that it looked like Rade’s face resided within. Corunna’s changed as well, so that it appeared her jumpsuit housed Ms. Bounty. Rade saw his own name appear above Alton’s head, and the name of Surus above Corunna’s, as overlaid by his Implant—that told him the public profiles of the two enemies had been updated as well. Likely the private profiles had changed, too.

“Shaw will never let you aboard,” Rade said.

“She will,” Alton answered with Rade’s voice. The lips of the hologram on the faceplate moved in sync. “I will tell her I left the Hoplites and HS3s behind to explore the cave system, and I decided to return to the ship to further examine a data chip the team uncovered in one of the caverns, hidden inside a digger unit.”

“She’ll never fall for it,” Rade said.

“We shall see,” the false Rade replied.

“It doesn’t matter,” Corunna answered with the voice of Ms. Bounty, her words also synced with the hologram. “I have already instituted certain measures to ensure our safe return. Good-bye, Argonauts.” She exchanged a glance with the false Rade. “I’m marking them as enemies. It’s time to stop sharing positional information with them.”

Her blue dot on the overhead map became red, joining the already crimson indicator that marked Alton. When they reached the surface, no doubt they would reset those markers and resume positional sharing in an attempt to deceive Shaw.

“Let’s go,” Alton said with Rade’s voice.

“Wait, at least tell us how long we have?” Rade said.

“Not long,” Alton replied.

With that, the two departed via the eastern tunnel. When they vanished from view, on the overhead map their red dots remained frozen beyond the passage opening, indicating their last known position.

“Well that treacherous alien bitch,” Bender said. “Man. How could we fall for it?”

“You, I can understand,” Manic said. “Blinded by her beauty. But the rest of us? Well, we were led hook, line and sinker.”

Rade struggle to move once again, but his spreadeagled arms and legs refuse to respond. “Are the HS3s we left behind still in range?”

He answered the question for himself by glancing at the overhead map, and seeing the low ping times for the two scouts waiting at the tunnel branches farther east.

“They are,” Fret said.

“Have them return to the surface,” Rade said. “As soon as they’re within comm distance of Shuttle A, dispatch a message. Alert Shaw to the impostors.”

“Done,” Fret said.

Rade watched the two HS3s retreat. That was one less thing to worry about. Then again, Corunna had stated she had other methods to ensure her return to the Argonaut.

What the hell did she do all those weeks she was aboard my ship?

He had left her under Surus’ supervision. And the AI was supposed to keep an eye on her, too. But there were ways around both, as Rade knew very well. Tapping into and replacing video feeds, altering recorded conversations... Rade shook his head.

We’ve really been deceived this time.

ten

I’m open to any ideas on how to get out of this one,” Rade said.

“You’re the one who usually gets us out of these tight situations,” Manic said.

“Yeah, but my idea factory is all out today,” Rade replied.

“I might have something,” Lui said.

“Go ahead,” Rade told him.

“Well, as far as I can tell, the gravity seems to be sourced from that remaining unit.” Lui highlighted a lone digger that sat by a pillar near the center of the cavern. Unlike the others, it hadn’t hurtled into the wall.

“That’s not going to help us if we can’t get to it,” Rade said.

“Maybe when Surus returns, she can try to possess it,” Lui said. “Assuming it has an AI of some kind.”

“It has to have some sort of computer system aboard,” TJ said. “Whether or not it’s sentient is another story.”

“So we wait for Surus to return from her explorations of the alien ship, then,” Rade said. “That’s something, at least.”

He sighed. He just hoped she returned before whatever end Alton and Corunna had planned for them came to fruition.

He stared into the empty cave before him, willing that return to be quick.

“You know,” Manic said, “when we were talking about Bender’s penis earlier, that made me think about the time we were fighting in Mongolia.”

“Mongolia?” Fret said. “That’s ancient history, dude!”

“I know, but the memory stands out,” Manic said.

“You would think about my penis, bitch,” Bender said. “That’s right, keep dreaming about it, wishing for the day I ram it up your asshole.”

“I know you’re in love with Manic,” Fret said. “But maybe you should restrict those comments to a private line? We don’t all need to hear about your sexual proclivities.”

“Shut up, skinny bitch,” Bender said.

“He’s just trying to distract me from telling the Camp Cockroach story,” Manic said.

“Ah!” Bender said. “Not Camp Cockroach!”

Rade couldn’t tell if Bender was truly afraid, or just pretending. Probably the latter.

“That’s right,” Manic said.

“Everyone knows the story already,” Bender said hurriedly. “No need to repeat it.”

“I want to hear it again,” Fret said.

“What happened at Camp Cockroach?” Harlequin asked.

“See, not everyone knows it,” Fret said.

“Don’t tell the AI!” Bender said.

“Too late, bro,” Manic said. “See, Harlequin, Bender was taking a dump in the latrine unit of the Camp Cockroach CHU farm.” CHU stood for containerized housing unit. “Now, the latrine unit wasn’t too well maintained. Sure, the sanitation robots tried, but it was a struggle to keep up, and usually the place was disgusting. Shit everywhere. Flies, too. Anyway, Bender’s minding his own business as he’s squatting down on the toilet and relieving his bowels, when, from one of the overhead fans, a particularly large spider droops down and lands on his dick.”

“That’s not true!” Bender said.

Manic chuckled softly. “Oh, but it is. I still remember you hopping out of there howling like a madman, with your pants wrapped around your ankles, nearly tripping you. You repeatedly swatted at your dick with each hop. Every time you knocked away the spider, it kept climbing back up an invisible thread to your dick. Never seen a more frightened man in my life. What was that you were shouting? ‘Get my rifle, bitches! Get my rifle!’ I wonder what would have happened if we actually gave you your rifle? Probably would’ve blown your dick right off.”

“Well at least you can understand now why he hates bugs so much,” Fret said.

“Bugs,” Bender agreed. “They’re a plague to this galaxy.”

“Anyway, when he finally got the spider off,” Manic continued, “he had friction burns all over his dick. We never figured out whether that was because he was milking his banana in there, and not actually taking a dump, or because of all the times he swatted his snake, trying to dislodge the spider. Probably a bit of both.”

“I can’t understand how anyone could milk their banana with all that feces around,” Fret said. “Unless of course, Bender actually got turned on by the stuff.”

“I don’t damn it!” Bender said. “And I didn’t!”

“We called the place Camp Cock Roast after that,” Manic continued. “The Marines and Army personnel apparently misheard us, because shortly afterward the camp became known informally as Camp Cockroach.”

“Why is it that when doom is imminent, you humans always seem so relaxed?” Harlequin said.

“Not all humans do, Harley Boy,” Bender said. “Just our particular brand of bitches.”

“Speak for yourself,” Manic said. “We’re not bitches. You are. And we’re not really relaxed. This is how we cope.”

“See Manic, what you just said shows why you’re the biggest bitch of all,” Bender said. “This is how we cope. Fool. I’m completely relaxed. Oh and, by the way, about the little story you told there... you tried to embarrass me, you really did. But you failed miserably. I was only pretending I cared.”

“Sure, sure,” Manic said.

“And that was a big joke I played back in Camp Cockroach as well,” Bender said. “Of course I didn’t give a damn about some small insect crawling on my dick. I was messing with you all.”

“Hey Pussywillow, there’s a spider on your dick!” Fret said, laughing.

“That’s not a spider, it is his dick!” Manic said.

“I’m muting y’all,” Bender said. “Bye.”

Harlequin got in the final word: “As I said, I don’t think I’ll ever understand you humans.”

There was quiet over the next few moments as the Argonauts dealt with the situation in their own way. If the end came, Rade had to accept it. He didn’t want to die here, at the bottom of some solidified lava ocean, next to an alien starship, on a world so faraway from home. Even more-so, he didn’t want to die without seeing his kids at least once after they were born. Shaw had wanted to give him more reasons to live. Well, he reflected, she had certainly succeeded.

But it might already be too late.

“I’m detecting vibrations,” Lui announced, “transmitted through the rock. I’m linking the AI of my mech to the other Hoplite AIs in an attempt to triangulate the source.”

“Looks like we’re about to experience firsthand the so-called advanced technology the Phant recovered from that ship,” Manic said.

“Advanced killing technology,” Fret commented.

“Well, Lui?” Manic said after a moment.

“Okay,” Lui said. “Got it. The vibrations seem to be coming from the unmapped region to the west. Beyond the opening on the far side of this cavern.”

“The region where HS3s Five and Six still haven’t returned from?” Fret asked.

“The same,” Lui said.

“The vibrations are slowly increasing in intensity,” TJ said. “Whatever is making them, it’s coming closer.”

“Why does that not surprise me?” Rade said.

“We’re doomed,” Fret said.

Rade stared at the dark, ominous opening on the western end of the cavern, and a tingle of fear passed up and down his spine. He wondered what evil thing would emerge, and what it would do to his helpless Hoplites.

Rade began to feel the vibrations in the rock then, as transmitted to the inner cocoon of his cockpit.

“Whatever is approaching from that tunnel, it’s gotta be big,” Manic said.

“The squad idiot speaks again,” Bender said. “Bitch, you really think something big is going to fit these passages? My guess is whatever the eff is coming has to be small, as in dog small. But numerous. Probably hundreds of them. Little hungry munching bitches, looking to chew off your metal ass.”

“Bugs?” Fret said.

“I didn’t say that,” Bender said.

“I bet they are,” Fret said. “Now we get to watch the Pussywillow scream. Just like in the Camp Cockroach latrine.”

“Bro, we’re all going to be screaming,” Tahoe said.

“Maybe the gravity will affect whatever is coming, too?” Fret said hopefully.

“It probably will,” Lui said. “Just not in the way you expect. I think it will only help whatever is coming reach us faster.”

“Well looky here, the alien ice queen is back,” Bender said.

A green mist floated into view, coming down from the nearest starship nozzle. Unaffected by the gravity field, it drifted toward Sprint.

Rade waited impatiently as that mist absorbed into the cockpit area of the Hoplite.

When the last of it was gone, Rade said: “Surus?”

“Not yet,” Ms. Bounty said. Then, a moment later: “I have returned.”

“Welcome back,” Bender said. “You missed your Corunna bitch royally screwing us over.”

“Ms. Bounty has updated me,” Surus said. “I am deeply saddened by the news. That Corunna and the other Greens have agreed to cancel my hunt shows a complete lack of compassion for humanity. It is also an insult, considering that you humans helped save our homeworld. I intend to ignore the High Council’s decree, and continue to hunt the Phants. Unfortunately, that means I myself will now be hunted by other Greens.”

“How quickly the friendships between races sour,” Lui commented.

“You’re not going to turn your back on humanity?” Rade asked, ever aware of the increasing vibrations. The cockpit actuators transmitted those tremors to his jumpsuit, and the inner atmosphere of that suit gave those vibrations a voice. It sounded a little like a meat grinder.

“No,” Surus said. “I have worked with humans too long to abandon you now. And while there will be other Greens who remain sympathetic to your cause, despite the orders from the High Council, for now we must assume they are all enemies.”

“Wait, are you saying every Green in this sector is now our prey?” Manic asked.

“No,” Surus said. “Only those who hunt us.”

“Like Corunna,” TJ said.

“Exactly,” Surus said. “We have a Green and a Purple to catch.”

“Do we trust her, boss?” Tahoe asked on a frequency that excluded Surus.

“We don’t have any other choice at the moment,” Rade said as the vibrations grew. “Nor much time.” He switched to the main channel: “Surus, you see that lone digger unit out there, by the basalt column? We believe it’s the source of the gravity field. See if you can shut it off.”

“I shall try,” Surus replied.

In moments, the green mist that was Surus’ representation in this reality emerged from the Hoplite, Sprint, and floated across the cavern toward the digger unit. Rade willed that mist to move faster, his eyes repeatedly darting back to the dark opening that was the source of the vibrations.

Finally the green vapor reached the digger unit. It floated past the focusing mirror utilized by the large drilling laser, and into the square-shaped cabin, where it vanished entirely.

Rade pressed his lips together and tried to break free of the gravitational binds every few seconds. Nothing.

“Don’t think she’s doing anything,” TJ said.

Finally the green mist reappeared. It didn’t emerge from the cabin, but rather some distance behind it. The vapor slowly drifted across the cavern, and settled on Sprint’s hull once more.

The mist vanished inside, and Surus spoke over the comm a moment later: “The digger unit is hiding the gravity generator from view. Essentially, the gravity waves require a few meters before they converge into a coherent field, and happen to cancel each other out in the region where the digger unit resides. The generator seems capable of emitting those canceling waves in realtime, focusing on a subject, which would explain why Corunna was able to walk free. The device itself is basically a small, black crate; behind it the gravitational field is normal, with the rest of the cavern unaffected. But in front, past the canceling waves, the gravity vector points directly toward this wall.

“I was able to enter the device, but the circuitry is incomprehensible... alien... I’m not certain it even has an AI. I could not deactivate it, I’m afraid. However, I believe a well-placed laser shot will shut it down. I will journey to Shuttle A, possess one of the Centurions, and then return.”

“Then go!” Rade said. It was a small hope, but in truth he doubted the Argonauts would still be alive by the time the Centurion arrived, judging from the rising level of vibrations Rade felt in his cockpit.

He stared at the cave opening. Whatever was coming down that tunnel, its arrival was imminent.

eleven

Rade heard a soft tone. It was a HUD notification he was familiar with—a new friendly had come into range.

Rade glanced at his overhead map. A Hoplite had arrived.

“Stay where you are, Surus,” Rade said. “Looks like you won’t have to travel all the way back to the shuttle after all.” He attempted to contact the friendly. “Nemesis, do you read?”

“I do,” the Hoplite’s AI replied.

According to the blue dot that represented the mech on the map, Nemesis was unmanned. Shaw had remained aboard the Argonaut, much to Rade’s relief.

“How did you get down here so fast?” Rade said. “I only dispatched the HS3s a few moments ago.”

“Shaw launched me shortly after you departed comm range the second time,” Nemesis said. “She was spooked by what you told her happened to the Russian researchers. She made a judgment call, and decided it was imperative that I join you on the surface. Her words. I had only just entered the cave when the HS3s came into range. When they told me about the betrayal, I arrived as fast as I could.”

“Well, Shaw may have just saved our lives,” Rade said. “That is, if you hurry.”

“I’m moving at the maximum possible speed allowed by these confines,” Nemesis replied.

Rade watched as the blue dot continued to close with the cavern. Nemesis should have encountered Corunna and Alton by then. “You didn’t pass anyone on the way here?”

“No,” Nemesis said. “If there was anyone else, they are taking a different path to the surface.”

“All right,” Rade said. “Get your cobras ready. There’s some sort of gravitational field generator in here. I’m marking the estimated location on your map. When you reach the cavern entrance, proceed carefully until you have the device in view. It should look like a small black crate. Fire at it with both cobras as soon as you sight it: I don’t want you getting any closer than you have to. It may have some sort of self-defense mechanism that involves throwing gravity waves at any attackers.”

“You will want to aim for the object’s center of mass,” Surus added. “That will cause the most damage.”

“Understood,” the AI answered.

“Did I mention that you should hurry?” Rade said. The vibrations had become so loud that Rade activated his internal noise canceler to mute them. He couldn’t think with that racket.

“I’m here,” Nemesis announced.

Rade immediately switched to the Hoplite’s viewpoint. Or rather, the point of view of its rightmost cobra. The video pixelated slightly from interference, probably due to the intense gravity waves.

The targeting reticle centered over a dark object—a rectangular crate about half the size of the digger unit behind it.

A small white dot appeared in the side of the crate.

“Direct hit,” Nemesis said.

Electron dropped to the cavern floor, along with all the other Hoplites.

“Good job!” Rade said. “Argonauts, we fly!”

Rade and the others dashed toward the exit, where Nemesis resided.

“Lead the way, Nemesis!” Rade said.

The Hoplite turned around and retreated, giving the others room to enter the tunnel behind it.

Halfway there, Rade glanced at the opposite exit, and his headlamp illuminated small dark shapes pouring out over the surrounding surfaces, expanding in every direction across the floor, ceiling, and cavern walls. It looked like an insect swarm. On the overhead map, their positions were marked with a series of red dots; the indicators quickly formed a solid mass.

“Are those bugs?” Manic said.

“No,” TJ said. “Zoom in, they’re robots.”

“Tiny robots!” Bender said gleefully. “Robot dust bunnies!”

“They’re a bit bigger than dust bunnies,” Lui said. “Look about the size of a human hand, to me.”

“Dust bunnies can grow that big, Phooey Lui Pimplepocks!” Bender said.

“Electron, take over,” Rade ordered.

While Electron assumed control of the mech and continued the retreat, Rade zoomed in on the swarm. It was difficult to discern their features, as they moved so fast most of them were a blur, but he thought they bore a vague resemblance to insects. He couldn’t tell either way if they were robots, or organic, however.

“Are we sure they’re robots, and not ordinary bugs?” Tahoe said.

“Robot dust bunnies!” Bender fired his cobra into the swarm, cutting small swaths through them. More of the robots simply flowed forward to replace those that were lost, and the gaps instantly filled.

“Fly!” Rade repeated. He resumed control of his mech and raced into the tunnel.

He glanced at his overhead map and saw the rest of the Hoplites following behind him, including Bender. On the map, the cavern they had left behind was covered in a sea of red that fast approached the tunnel.

He could only imagine what would be happening if the Hoplites were still trapped in that room. He suspected the gravity field would have deactivated to allow the swarm to engulf the Hoplites. And if not, well, the mechs would have essentially been buried alive.

“Boost it!” Rade said.

It was hard to travel fast within the confines of the tunnel. His extremities constantly scraped the obsidian walls and ceiling around him. Even so, the team made relatively good progress—while they couldn’t outrun the coming swarm, at least it wasn’t gaining on them. Much.

“Hey Surus!” Fret said. “By the way, what did you find inside that starship? I’d like to know, before I die.”

“Our prey did a thorough job of damaging most of the technology I discovered in the outermost sections,” Surus said. “I suspect the same will be true deeper into the interior. We will have a hard time finding anything recoverable, I’m afraid.”

“So basically we’re dying for nothing,” Fret said.

“We’re not dead yet,” Rade said. Though it was easy to see why Fret felt that way. All it took was a glance in the rear view feed to see the swarm bearing down on them.

“Rade, do you read?” Shaw’s voice came over the comm.

“Shaw!” Rade said. He glanced at the overhead map. The positions of the HS3s had updated: they were strung out at intervals ahead of them, forming a long line of repeaters that linked the underground to the surface. “About time you came back into signal range. We’re in a bit of a bind down here.”

“I see you have some red on your tails,” Shaw said.

“Just some,” Rade agreed. “The HS3s revealed Corunna’s betrayal?”

“Yes,” she said. “I take it Surus is still with you?”

“She is,” Rade said. “She plans to remain on our side, for the time being. Or so she says. Have you spotted the two traitors yet? One of them is masquerading as me, the other Ms. Bounty.”

“I haven’t heard from either of them, yet,” Shaw said. “Nor seen them. If they’re surfacing, they’re obviously taking a different route. Looks like you still have a lot of the tunnel system unmapped down there.”

“And it’s going to stay that way,” Rade said, glancing at the swarm in his rear view camera.

“In any case,” Shaw continued. “The Phants are in for a surprise if they think I’m going to let them board my ship. I’ve repositioned the shuttles by the way, and had them stop transmitting positional information.”

That was probably a good idea, if Corunna and Alton were spoofing the team’s Implant IDs to simulate Rade and Ms. Bounty. 

“One of the unmapped tunnels probably exits closer to the base,” Rade said. “It would have to, given the temperatures out there.”

“But even if they surface relatively far away, both of our enemies are Artificials, right?” Shaw asked. “With Phants inside them.”

“True enough,” Rade said. “That makes them a little more resilient to the heat.” Even if their jumpsuits failed during the walk back, the Artificials inside would likely remain unaffected inside. And if they had to, the Phants could simply vacate their hosts and proceed toward the base in their natural form.

“It does make them just a bit more resilient, yes,” Shaw agreed. “Of course, they might have alternate means of transport. Perhaps something involving alien technology.”

“Maybe,” Rade said. “Be prepared to fire on any Skeeters you see leaving the Russian base. Or any other craft, for that matter.”

“Will do,” Shaw said.

“Also, recall the HS3s to the surface as we come within range,” Rade said. “Let’s not lose any more of them.”

“Already doing it,” Shaw said.

On the map, Rade saw the positions of the HS3s were indeed compressing as the Hoplites made their advance.

“You’re two steps ahead of me,” Rade commented.

“As always,” Shaw said.

The mechs reached the cavern that contained the exploration vehicle. 

“Double time, Argonauts!” Rade sent.

With the extra room the vaulted grotto provided, the mechs were able to attain their top speeds, and they ripped across the cavern toward the next tunnel.

Rade glanced at the feed from his rear view camera. Behind them, the swarm flowed rapidly into the cavern. The black mass engulfed the segmented vehicle and assumed its shape, at least for a moment. And then the vehicular outline seemed to sink inwards, collapsing, as if the swarm were digesting the craft inside: perhaps using the raw material to form new robots.

Rade barreled into the exit tunnel, which could fit two Hoplites abreast. The Argonauts kept their single file formation, however, and used the extra room to maintain their top speed.

The temperature began to rise as they neared the surface. It jumped rapidly from zero to a hundred, and then crept upward more slowly thereafter. One twenty. One fifty.

One seventy.

The tunnel opened up and the Hoplites burst onto the surface at a run.

“To the booster rockets!” Rade ordered.

Those rockets were located two klicks to the southeast, beyond the research base.

The HS3s led the way fifty meters ahead.

In seconds the swarm flowed onto the surface behind them. It was like a black tar rising from the depths of the planet, blotting out everything it moved over.

Rade had harbored a small hope that the heat of the temperate zone would stop them, but that possibility was dashed now that the swarm continued to pursue.

“Come on you motherfuckers!” Bender said. “Come on!”

He was firing his dual cobras at the swarm as he retreated. He occasionally swapped out the cobra for the grenade launcher, and unleashed a frag into their midst, sending the small robots flying in all directions. The attacks didn’t have much effect on the overall mass. It continued to flow inexorably from the depths, spilling out onto the surface in a veritable black river of pursuit.

“Bender, save your grenades,” Rade said. “But everyone else, fire your cobras at will. Try to stave off their vanguard while we retreat.”

“These bitches remind me of land-based Perdix drones,” Bender said. “What we need is the equivalent of Repellent to shut them down.”

Repellent modules were essentially expensive electronic warfare countermeasures that used directional interference to disrupt drone navigation. Unfortunately, none of the Hoplites were equipped with those modules. Not that it would have worked, anyway, since the countermeasures were designed for human tech, not alien. 

“Yeah well, good luck putting something like that together,” Tahoe said.

The Hoplites employed their jumpjets liberally to navigate the rougher terrain, and they bounded across the rocky terraces and crags, wending between the columns of basalt that occasionally protruded. They were putting some good distance between themselves and the enemy swarm, and for a moment Rade actually thought his Argonauts were going to make it to the booster rockets.

“Any sign of the traitor yet, Shaw?” Rade sent.

“Nothing yet,” she replied.

The ground began to shake violently a moment later. So much so that Rade found it difficult to run in a straight line without employing the jumpjets to stabilize his motion.

“The hell?” Tahoe said.

“Earthquake,” Lui announced.

“Don’t think that’s an earthquake,” Harlequin said. “Look.”

Ahead, a large portion of the obsidian began to crack. The different rock segments started to break away, receding from view.

“Sinkhole?” TJ sent.

“If it is, it’s a very wide one,” Harlequin said. “It appears an entire shelf is collapsing. Forming a canyon.”

Rade glanced at the overhead map, and saw the imagery transmitted by the Argonaut in orbit. A large trench was indeed forming in the terrain up ahead, cutting off their retreat.

From the sinkhole more of the robots flooded onto the surface, like black blood gushing forth, outflanking Rade and his team.

“Can we use our jumpjets to fly over them?” Tahoe asked.

Abruptly the black mass geysered upward from the long trench, towering over the party, forming a long wall in front of them. It was at least a kilometer wide, and maybe half as tall.

The HS3 scouts, in the lead, were caught by the outburst and every last one was swallowed by the massive wall. Their indicators vanished from the overhead map.

“Guess not!” Tahoe said.

The crest of that wall shifted inward, and came crashing down like a deadly tidal wave curling straight for the party.

twelve

Northwest!” Rade shouted. “To the northwest!”

That was the only obvious route at the moment.

Rade glanced in his rear view mirror as he retreated between the incoming swarm on the west and the tidal wave to the east. The leading portion of the wave never touched the ground behind the team. Instead, it appeared the smaller robots were joining together, and forming part of a larger shape. The inbound swarm from the west joined that shape as the front ranks arrived, and their numbers added to the assembling behemoth. Or rather, behemoths... three distinct shapes were coalescing on the rocky plains behind the Hoplites. The behemoths appeared to be larger versions of the smaller robots: long, insect-like bodies with six legs. A head with a single long horn protruded from the thorax of each one.

“Awwww... unicorns!” Bender said.

“More like rhinos,” Manic said.

“Unicorns!” Bender repeated, ignoring him. “Going to catch me some unicorns.” He was firing his cobra at the behemoths while he ran, humming softly.

“You know, I’m going to have to side with Bender on that Camp Cockroach story,” TJ said. “This is not a man who screams when a spider lands on his dick.”

“He’s exactly the kind of man who screams,” Manic said, unleashing his cobra as well. The laser caused little apparent damage to the targeted behemoth.

“Friggin’ giant unicorns!” Bender said, still firing. “And I just wanted to hunt a few bugs!”

The lead behemoth, which seemed the most fully formed, pointed its long horn toward the fleeing Hoplites.

“Watch that horn!” Rade said.

A particle beam emerged. Rade and the others dodged behind a nearby basalt column. It was struck near the middle, and a large section of rock disintegrated entirely. The upper portion tumbled down onto the lower, and upon impact the entire column toppled, the rocks fanning across the terrain behind the party.

“This isn’t good!” Fret said. “Not good at all!”

“Who wants to bet that our ballistic shields are useless against that particle beam?” Lui said.

“They are most definitely useless,” TJ said.

“Deploy them anyway,” Rade said. “Keep your shields pointed toward those behemoths at all times. But assume if you’re struck, you won’t last long. Weave between the basalt columns, and the crags and steppes. Use your surroundings for cover. And keep zigzagging. Don’t make it easy for the enemy to target you.”

Listening to his own advice, Rade deployed his shield and held it behind him as he ran in a zigzag fashion. He dodged behind another large column as a second behemoth opened fire with its particle weapon. The column toppled behind him.

“Shaw, fire the Vipers at these things from orbit,” Rade ordered.

“I’ve been firing already,” Shaw said. “Concentrating the beams into a single unit. I’ve been able to drill small holes right through them as far as I can tell. But the tiny robots composing them simply reform around any damage.”

“Keep firing,” Rade said. “Maybe you’ll get lucky.”

“I also have a volley of Hellfires coming in next,” Shaw said. “Though the results will probably be similarly unspectacular.”

Flashes came from behind, indicating the Hellfire impacts. Rade saw fragments erupt from the behemoths where the missiles detonated, leaving gaping holes. Those fragments were simply reabsorbed into the main body as they fell back onto the behemoths in question, and the blast holes soon refilled as fresh robots rose to the surface.

“Well this mission isn’t quite working out the way we expected, is it?” Lui said.

According to the overhead map, the Hoplites weren’t making much headway. Despite their massive size, the behemoths were able to easily maintain their distance. It didn’t help matters that the team members had to move from cover to cover, which prevented them from advancing as fast as they otherwise might have.

“What’s the plan?” Tahoe said.

“Eventually we’re going to have to make our way around to the booster rockets,” Rade said.

“What’s the point?” TJ said. “As soon as we launch, we’ll be completely exposed to their particle beam attacks. Even with evasive maneuvers, not more than a few of us will make it. As long as we stay down here, at least we have a chance of surviving.”

“Could the Argonaut pick us up directly?” Fret asked.

“Ha,” Lui said. “Just because the planet doesn’t have an atmosphere, doesn’t mean our Marauder class ship can land. It can do a low level flyby, sure, but then the Argonaut will be exposing itself to those particle beams. Besides, we’ll probably exhaust all our jumpjet fuel reaching the altitude necessary for pickup. Assuming the behemoths don’t shoot us down beforehand.”

“What about the shuttles?” Fret said. “We could leave our cockpits momentarily, and quickly transfer to the shuttles in our jumpsuits before we suffer too much heat damage.”

“That’s probably our best choice,” Rade said, taking cover behind a rocky overhang as the third behemoth fired its particle beam. The basalt beside him vanished, leaving him exposed, and he dashed forward once more. “We’d have to stay low once we boarded, hugging the terrain until we were well away from the behemoths and their particle beams.”

“Um, you’ll have to belay that,” Shaw said. “It seems the shuttles are having problems.”

“Problems, what do you mean?”

Algorithm answered. “We believe Corunna installed a time bomb virus of some kind. The controls are currently inoperative. We should have a fix in under ten minutes.”

“I’m not sure we can wait that long,” Rade said.

“What about the Skeeters at the base?” Tahoe said.

Rade glanced at the overhead map. “According to Shaw’s orbital data, a large portion of the swarm is proceeding directly there. There won’t be a Russian research station left by the time we arrive.”

“We could send forth a decoy,” Lui said. “Have a pilot give up his Hoplite, and instead share a mech with someone else. We instruct the vacated Hoplite to continue forward, while the rest of us hide behind nearby columns. Then once the enemy passes, we turn around and rush toward the booster rockets, launching when the enemy is too far away to target us.”

“That won’t be easy,” Tahoe said. “Take a look at the ground underneath them. With each step, swarms of the tiny robots flow out onto the terrain, seeping behind every column and into every crevice. Those robots rejoin the main body when one of the aft appendages passes by, allowing the behemoths to avoid losing too many of their constituent parts. We’d have to find a hiding place very far away while our decoy went forward. And that’s going to be tricky, if not impossible, with the three of them tracking us.”

“Maybe we can mount them somehow?” Manic said. “Leap onto their backs, and fire into their necks or something from close range?”

“You nuts, bitch?” Bender said. “We land on their backs, the robot dust bunnies are going to swarm all over us and swallow us up. Didn’t you see what they did to the exploration vehicle back in the cave? They touched it, and it was toast.”

“There’s another option,” Rade swerved sideways to avoid another launched particle beam.

“We’re listening,” Lui said.

“If we continue to head north...” Rade said.

“You’re not planning what I think you’re planning, are you?” Tahoe said.

“The temperate zone only extends a few more kilometers,” Rade said. “Beyond that, the lava oceans begin.”

“Yes, he’s planning what I’m thinking,” Tahoe said.

“The boss intends to take us into the day side of this planet?” Harlequin asked.

“You got it,” Tahoe said.

“That would be a mistake,” Harlequin said. “Our mechs aren’t designed to operate in such extreme environments. On the day side, the Hoplites will last perhaps five minutes. Shortly thereafter, critical systems will begin to fail: servomotors will overheat, camera lenses melt, boards short-circuit. In another five minutes the hull itself will start to melt. And if we attempt to leave our cockpits at any time, we’ll die, our jumpsuits catching fire and burning away within moments of exposure.”

“Yes,” Rade said. “But if we have trouble out there, you can only imagine how much trouble our enemy will have.”

“I’m not sure that’s true,” Lui said.

“We have some heat armor,” Rade said. He dodged behind a pillar as another behemoth fired. “But I haven’t seen any indication that these robots do.”

“Actually we have seen indications,” Lui said. “Look at how well the robots have held up to the heat of the temperate zone.”

“While that’s true,” Rade began. A crag in front of him collapsed as it took a particle beam blow, and he used his jumpjets to skirt over it before he continued. “I still don’t believe the minimal amount of armor they have will be enough to protect them from the day side.”

“Well, their ship certainly survived,” TJ said.

“Yes, but that ship was heavily armored,” Rade said. “We’re talking several meters Surus had to seep through. Isn’t that right, Surus?”

“It took me eight meters to pass through the propellant nozzle and into the interior of the ship, yes,” Surus said.

“There you go,” Rade said.

“Okay,” Lui began. “But keep in mind how readily these robots seem able to assume new forms. When the heat rises, maybe the swarm will simply rearrange to form the equivalent of a heavily-armored outer layer, protecting its main body.”

“Well, either way, you can’t tell me something as massive as that can swim?” Rade said.

“You never know, they might transform themselves into a hundred boats or something,” Tahoe said.

“And we ourselves can’t swim...” Lui said. “These Hoplites aren’t like the transforming hydrodynamic Titans Surus lent us during the alien empress mission.”

“No, they’re not,” Rade said, dodging the latest particle beam attack. “But I’m hoping we won’t have to swim. According to the map produced by Shaw in orbit, several small islands reside near the shoreline. It’s essentially an archipelago out there. Perfect for our needs.”

“Assuming our jumpjets last long enough to carry us between those islands,” TJ said.

“Hey, I have an idea,” Fret said. “We could make our way to the Dragonflies instead? And hope the two combat robots have the shuttles up and running by the time we arrive?”

“Algorithm, what’s your status?” Rade said.

“Err,” Algorithm said. “I may have underestimated the difficulty of removing this virus. We’re still working on it. Estimated extraction time is now thirty minutes.”

“There’s your answer, Fret,” Rade said. “I’ve made up my mind. We proceed forward, to the day side!”

thirteen

Rade and the others continued toward the day side, dodging the enemy attacks. The temperature steadily rose, climbing from the original one hundred and seventy degrees to two fifty and rising. Ahead, the edges of the blue and white binary suns ascended the horizon; the surface there glowed a bright orange. The photochromatic filters in Rade’s display had already activated, reducing the amount of blinding light that reached his eyes.

As they approached, the orange swath on the horizon grew to what seemed a lake, and then an ocean. The Hoplites were about four hundred meters away from the leading edge. The temperature had reached five hundred degrees, and included the combined heat from the sun and that radiated from the obsidian below.

Lava waves lapped the distant shoreline. Rade saw small islands of superheated rock floating within the lava ocean. Those islands were perfect for his needs, since most could readily hold the Hoplites, but were far too small to contain the behemoths. At the very least, the giants would have to change form to pursue them, and likely lose their particle weapons. 

Unfortunately, there was a small problem. In a hundred meters, the random line of basalt columns ended entirely, leaving only a flat plain between the edge of the columns and the start of the lava ocean three hundred meters away.

“Uh,” Lui said. “We’re going to be exposed once we reach that beach.”

“We’ll be exposed when we reach the islands anyway,” Fret said.

“You’ll notice that the enemy particle beams only fire once every fifty-five seconds or so,” Harlequin said. “Perhaps we can use that to our advantage.”

“A recharge interval?” Rade said.

“I believe so,” Harlequin replied.

“All right, we proceed to the edge,” Rade said. “Then we bait the enemy into firing their particle beams. Then we make a run for the islands during the recharge interval.”

“And when the fifty-five seconds come around again?” Tahoe said.

“Then we use our jumpjets and evade as best we can,” Rade said. “We draw them out into the lava. Force them to change forms.”

As the Hoplites approached the last of those basalt columns, grayish matter began to fall from the skies like a thick dust.

“It’s almost like I’m visiting my cousins in Alaska!” Manic said. “We got snow. And a cozy lava ocean...”

“That’s not snow, that’s rock,” Tahoe said. “Silicate rain caused by the condensation of the vaporized rock spewed into the air by the oceans.”

“Sexy,” Manic said.

“Now you can tell all your friends you’ve witnessed rock rain, bitches,” Bender said.

“Another item I can check off my bucket list!” Manic said.

“Didn’t know you had it on there,” Fret said.

“Neither did I,” Manic retorted.

Another particle beam came in, vaporizing the basalt just behind Rade.

Fifty-five seconds until that one recharges. Just need to trigger the other two, now.

Rade reached the edge of the beach and took cover behind one of the last basalt pillars. The other Hoplites did the same with structures nearby. The beach rock glowed a brownish red from the heat. In the sky, the binary suns had risen a quarter way above the horizon.

The temperature was six hundred degrees.

Rade noticed that the hull of his mech was starting to change color as well. At first he thought it was because the camouflage skin was matching the beach below, but then he realized that the red was slightly deeper in hue than the rock surface, because the hull was glowing from the extreme heat.

“The hull has reached the Draper point,” Electron said. “Recommend turning back at the first opportunity.” The Draper point defined the temperature at which all solid objects visibly glowed as a result of blackbody radiation.

“Not yet,” Rade said.

“It’s going to get hotter yet, boys and girls!” Bender said. “Just the way I like it.”

“We have about five minutes until components begin to fail,” Harlequin said. “Though of course, there’s always a chance something could malfunction before then. And as I mentioned, our hulls will begin to melt five minutes after that.”

“You know that lead melts at five hundred degrees, right?” Lui said.

“Good thing our hulls aren’t made of lead, then,” TJ said.

“And lead doesn’t have the cooling systems we do,” Tahoe said.

“Cooling systems that are working overtime,” Lui said. “And when they fail, that’s it.”

Rade peered past the cover of the pillar, and gazed at the approaching behemoths.

“Ah, damn it!” Tahoe said. “We’re sinking into the rock! It’s like molten mud or something!”

Rade realized that Tahoe was correct. “Don’t stand in the same place for too long!”

He slowly walked backward, his feet sinking slightly into the surface with each step.

“Come on, we have to trigger the remaining two behemoths,” Rade said.

He left cover, running toward the next closest pillar. Tahoe and Bender joined him. His metal feet continued to sink slightly, and it made the going sluggish.

The two behemoths that hadn’t fired yet did so in that moment; Rade swerved to the left, reaching the column he had in mind. Behind him, a small crater was left in his wake. He checked the vitals on his HUD to confirm that everyone else had made it.

“Did they both fire?” Rade said.

“They did,” Surus said.

Since the first behemoth had fired about fifteen seconds ago, that left forty seconds before the robots could unleash the particle beam again.

“Let’s go!” Rade said. “To the ocean!”

Rade broke from cover and raced across the beach toward the orange waves.

“Can’t believe I’m doing this,” Fret said.

“Hey, it’s for the bucket list, remember,” Manic said. “Now you can tell your grandchildren you surfed a lava ocean.”

“Don’t think we’re doing any surfing here, bro,” Lui said.

“Let alone any surviving!” Fret added.

The brownish red surface became a dark red as Rade ran. Electron’s feet began to sink deeper... Rade was beginning to think this was a mistake.

Can’t turn back now...

“Use your jumpjets!” Rade said. He released short bursts as he sprinted, lifting free of the surface each time. 

The surface turned a bright red, and then he reached the edge; Rade jetted across the large swath of orange lava below, and used up much of his jumpjet fuel.

As he came down toward the red island, he concluded that the ballistic shields would hold up a lot better than the feet of the mechs.

“Deploy your shields!” Rade said. “Land on them!”

He held the shield underneath him like a sled as he landed on the red island, and laid his body flat on its surface. He continued applying jumpjets bursts to propel himself forward.

“Guess we’re surfing after all!” Manic said.

“Or bodyboarding at least,” Lui said.

“Semantics,” Manic said.

According to Rade’s HUD, the temperature had risen to nine hundred degrees.

Electron abruptly fired lateral thrust, shifting the Hoplite’s motion to the left.

“Wha—” Rade began.

And then he saw the large chunk that had vanished from the ground behind and to his right. Electron had steered him from a particle beam impact.

In fifteen seconds two more particle beams came in, and the Hoplites narrowly avoided both of them as they bodyboarded across the rock.

Rade glanced at his rear view feed as he crossed the island, and he saw the first behemoth reach the lava ocean. It walked right in, and as he watched the thing vanished beneath the surface entirely. It emerged a moment later, obviously struggling to clamber out, its exterior seeming to lose cohesion and melt as it did so. It vanished beneath the lava ocean before it reached shore.

“Score!” Bender said. “Scratch one unicorn bitch!”

The other two behemoths started to turn around, attempting to retreat from the deadly shoreline. But then they, too, began to falter and lose cohesion, reverting back to their swarm state as the constituent robots fell apart. The swarm members rushed away across the glowing rock, trying to flee the heat, but those black masses soon began to become stuck in the red rock, sinking slightly. Those in the rear clambered over the bodies of those that were lodged, only to become stuck themselves. The enemy was done.

“Around!” Rade said. “Turn around! Go back, Argonauts!”

Rade applied lateral thrust so that he was accelerating across the island and toward the shore. He just hoped it wasn’t too late.

Manic led the way. Rade and the others continued to fire their jumpjets, steering their Hoplites over the red rock on their shields. The mechs were glowing white hot by that point.

Rade reached the island’s edge and fired his jumpjets to take him into the air. He watched his jumpjet fuel drop precariously on his HUD as he jetted across the lava ocean, and quickly realized he wasn’t going to have enough to make it. But if he saved the rest of his fuel, and used it to help bodyboard across...

“Don’t have enough fuel,” Rade said. “I’m going to have to surf the lava. Wish me luck.”

Rade landed in the thick of the ocean, firing his aft thrust to carry him forward. He caught an orange wave and rode it. The shield held.

This might actually work.

He saw other Argonauts doing the same behind him. He glanced at their fuel levels on his HUD. All of those Hoplites that rode the ocean also had dangerously low fuel levels. Good: they weren’t doing this because they thought it was fun, but because they had to. Even so, he wouldn’t have put it past any of them to ride the lava waves merely for the novelty factor, dangerous as it was.

As he neared the shore, he activated aft thrust once more, bringing him up onto the beach. Then he fired one last burst to right himself, and then continued forward on his feet, occasionally thrusting when his ankles sunk too deep. He quickly used up all his fuel.

He passed the lifeless masses of the horde, which had succumbed to the heat. The individual robots were spread across the rock, their bodies glowing a hotter blue. So far, the mechs themselves were still a cooler white, but Rade wasn’t sure how long that would last.

He saw Sprint pause beside the edge of that lifeless mass of robots.

“What are you doing?”

“Collecting samples,” Surus said, kneeling. She stood a moment later, her metal fists wrapped protectively around the tiny robots she had gathered.

The Hoplites raced into the protective columns of basalt, and the terrain became solid once more. They continued running, wanting to put as much distance between themselves and the heat as possible. Soon the binary suns were hidden once more behind the horizon.

The glow of the Hoplites faded to red as the temperature returned to the standard one hundred and seventy. The lava on Rade’s shield had mostly sloughed away during the frantic retreat, though some cooled rock was still attached.

“Let’s stop for a second to get rid of this lava still clinging to our shields,” Rade said.

He paused to wipe his shield on a nearby crevice, and also slid his feet across the surface in an attempt to loosen the black slag caking his soles; it was like sloughing mud from a shoe.

“Argonauts, update me,” Rade said.

The Argonauts reported in. Their shields were in various states of disrepair, and jumpjet fuel was nearly exhausted across the board, but incredibly they had all survived relatively unscathed. Bender’s mech had to hop on one leg. Manic had lost the use of his shield arm—Manic’s shield itself had nearly dissolved completely away.

“Going to need some repairs when we get back,” Manic said.

“Just a little,” Rade agreed. “Shaw, any sign of our prey?”

“No,” Shaw said. “This is odd, however: the swarm that was headed toward the research station came to a halt before arriving, and has formed a protective ring around it.”

“I’m guessing they don’t want us going there,” Lui said.

“Probably an accurate guess,” Tahoe said.

“And this is a bit worrisome,” Shaw said. “The two HS3s you left behind at the base have ceased transmitting.”

“That is worrying,” Rade agreed.

“It has to be Alton and Corunna,” Surus said.

“Maybe,” Rade said. He glanced at the beaten-up Hoplites. “But we’re not ready to face another robot swarm again. We’re getting off this scorched rock while the getting is good. Argonauts, we continue to the booster rockets.”

And so he led the Hoplites onward.

Shaw tapped in on a private line: “I was worried sick about you back there, watching so helplessly as events unfolded.”

“I’m sorry you had to see that,” Rade said.

“I’m even sorrier I wasn’t there to help,” Shaw replied.

“Not sure there would have been anything more you could have done if you were here,” Rade said.

“Oh no,” Shaw said. “This isn’t good.”

“What is it?” Rade asked.

But Shaw didn’t answer.

fourteen

Shaw resided on the bridge of the Argonaut. She tried to reactivate the tactical display that had overlaid her vision only a few moments before, but it refused to come up.

“Shaw?” Rade said over the comm. “What’s wrong?”

“My tactical display has just gone down,” Shaw said. “I’m flying blind. Bax, what just happened?”

The Argonaut’s AI didn’t reply.

“Shaw?” Rade sent. “Do you read?”

“Rade?” Shaw transmitted. “Are you hearing me?”

“Shaw, do you copy, over?” Rade sent.

“Damn it,” Shaw said. “Bax, you better not be joking around...”

The AI didn’t reply.

She would simply have to command the ship from engineering, then.

She got up from her station and made her way toward the bridge hatch.

It didn’t open. Puzzled, she retreated a few steps and tried to enter the captain’s office. That door remained closed to her as well.

“You’ve locked me in, have you?” Shaw returned to the bridge hatch. Her Implant still formed an adhoc network with the combat robots remaining aboard, one of which was stationed right outside the bridge. The overhead map, which operated independently of the Argonaut’s AI, was still active, and showed the positions of those robots as blue dots. 

“Cora,” Shaw said, using the nickname for Unit C, which resided just past the door. “Are you able to open the entry hatch?”

“Negative,” Cora replied. “The AI appears to have locked me out.”

“Me, as well,” Shaw said. “I don’t suppose you can use your rifle as a laser cutter?”

“I can,” Cora said.

“Summon the other robots to the bridge area,” Shaw commanded. “Get them to help.”

“Will do,” Cora replied. “By the way, Ulysses is in engineering already.” That was the nickname of Unit U.

“And?”

“He is locked out of the AI and most of the subsystems,” Cora continued. “However, he tells me he has managed to reboot the weapon systems and regain control of the relevant subsystems.”

“Well that’s a relief,” Shaw said. That meant Corunna wouldn’t be able to use the Argonaut to fire at the Hoplites.

“Do you still want me to cut you out?” Cora asked.

The robot’s words evoked a strange image in Shaw’s mind, and she instinctively lowered a protective hand over her abdomen.

Like cutting a baby from the womb.

“Proceed,” Shaw said. “With the AI gone rogue, I can’t stay aboard the bridge. It’s not safe here. Bax could decide to vent the atmosphere at any time.” The easiest way to do that would be to open all the breach seals and hatches between the bridge and an airlock, and then open that airlock.

“But there are precautions in place to prevent such a thing,” Cora said. “Even when an AI has gone rogue. The Machine Constitution—”

“Can be reprogrammed,” Shaw finished. “Don’t assume anything. You heard about what those robots did to the Russian scientists. Now listen, I need to get to the nearby armory and suit up. Grab a few grenades. Throw on a rifle. Plus a certain stun weapon. Then I’ll feel more comfortable. After that, we’ll proceed to engineering and see what we can do to help Ulysses.”

“As you wish,” Cora said.

Shaw waited impatiently. She had a good idea what was going on with Bax. If Corunna had time to infect the AIs of the shuttles with a virus, then she had time to inject malicious code into Bax as well. In fact, when Algorithm reported the time bomb virus in the Dragonflies, the first thing Shaw had done was instruct Bax to search for any problem code. But Corunna had hidden her tracks well, apparently, because Bax found none.

I should have looked myself.

But who was she kidding? She had limited knowledge of hacking, and wouldn’t really know what to look for. Sure, she had enough knowledge to use the privilege escalation rootkit she had cached in her Implant, but that was basically hacking DFY—done for you. She chose an option from a menu and let the kit do its work.

But speaking of the rootkit... since she was locked out of her own system, she supposed it was worth a try to run the kit while the robots worked.

A plume of white smoke appeared from the hatch as Cora fired the laser rifle into the metal from the other side, and so Shaw removed herself from the area. That plume slowly edged upward, leaving a molten line in its wake.

Going to be a while yet.

She activated her rootkit, pointed it to the virtual remote interface of the Argonaut’s AI, and then let it run. She wasn’t expecting much, however. It would attempt to access various backdoors known to exist in previous versions of the AI variant. And while Bax wasn’t set to automatically update when new patches were available, TJ and Bender reviewed all the latest versions and applied the patches themselves, so Shaw doubted any of the backdoors would actually work. There were also various brute force attacks the rootkit would attempt, but unfortunately the AI would block those after about ten failed access attempts.

It only took about five minutes before the rootkit reported its failure to access the system.

She stared at the hatch, waiting impatiently while Cora worked. The other robots had yet to reach the bridge—they had been confronted with breach seals along the way. Apparently Bax had taken it upon itself to make it as hard as possible for the robot crew to maneuver around the ship. More of Corunna’s doing, no doubt.

What was it that Rade had told her after the alien empress ordeal?

Beware of Greens bearing gifts.

She wondered how Corunna had installed her virus into the AIs of the shuttle and the Argonaut without alerting the rest of the crew. Bax was equipped with several anti-tamper mechanisms. She must have disabled those first, and then erased all logs pertaining to the action, including video, so that when Bender or the AI itself reviewed the weekly logs, nothing would stand out. Corunna would have converted Bax over to her side first, and when that was done, the shuttles would be an easy thing.

But why wait until this moment to exert influence over Bax?

Then Shaw realized Corunna must be on the way back to the Argonaut at that very moment, likely using the distraction provided by the robot behemoths to launch from the Russian research base. And with Bax on Corunna’s side, the AI would have neglected to mention any such launch to Shaw.

I have to stop the aliens.

While she no longer had rights to the internal cameras aboard the ship, she could still access the video feeds of the different combat robots, and she did so to observe their progress. The Centurions were taking a long time to cut their way through breach seals, at least until one of them reached the armory and grabbed some of the plasma rifles the team had acquired in the last mission. After that, the seals ceded much more easily, as the older model hatches found aboard weren’t designed to disperse the heat from plasma beams, and the Centurions burned through the hatches and join Cora momentarily.

In moments Shaw was free of the bridge, and she hurried with her combat robot escort toward the armory. Bax still hadn’t vented the atmosphere yet. So far, so good.

She reached the armory and picked out her usual cooling and ventilation “cool vents” underwear. She stripped off her clothes and slipped on the tight bottom section of the one-piece undergarment. The cool vents felt tighter around her thighs than she remembered.

Have I really put on so much weight since the pregnancy began?

She could switch to one of the man sizes, but then the extra fabric in the suit would bunch up and she’d have trouble fitting the jumpsuit. No, she had to stick with this one.

I’ll have to get it resized at some point.

On the plus side, at least she didn’t have any hardpoints protruding from her body to worry about. She didn’t know how Rade could put on the cool vents with those in the way.

Before she donned the upper body of the garment, she paused to touch her belly. “Hold tight, Alex and Sil.”

She shrugged on the upper body portion. It felt extremely tight around the waist area. None of the undergarments were really all that loose in the belly area in the first place, and she worried it was too much pressure for the babies. 

They’ll be fine, she told herself.

She grabbed a jumpsuit containing a strength-enhancing exoskeleton. At least those suits were resizable, as they contained inner actuators that shrank to fit the occupants, similar to the cocooning cockpits found in mechs.

She secured the helmet and the jumpsuit pressurized. Too late she remembered the accelerant injection that would lower her adaptation time to the new environment; she tried to cancel it, but the sonic injector applied it into the dorsal venous network of her right hand anyway. She worried that the accelerant would harm her babies in some way, though previously the Weavers had promised everything would be fine, and in fact suggested that she and the babies would be better off with the injection. She hoped the robots were right.

She grabbed a bunch of grenades and secured them to her harness. Those would damage the passageways if she used them, but not enough to cause a breach. She considered taking some explosive charges as well, but decided she wouldn’t need them. She slid a laser rifle over one shoulder by the strap, and grabbed the spare stun rifle. She’d need that to disable any Phants that came aboard.

All geared up, she had her robot escort bring her to engineering.

“What’s the sit-rep?” she asked the combat robot on duty inside the entrance when she arrived. The door had been blown open by a plasma rifle burst.

The Centurion pointed toward the access panel located deeper in the room, where Ulysses resided.

“I’m attempting another reboot,” Ulysses said. “This is my fourth.”

Shaw went to the panel and felt around underneath with one hand. TJ kept a special security chip hidden below the panel—basically a rootkit specifically designed for Marauder-class AIs. By plugging the chip into the provided connection before booting, it made privilege escalation easy.

Shaw couldn’t find that chip, so she dropped to the deck to peer underneath.

“If you’re looking for the security chip,” Ulysses said. “It’s missing. I checked already.”

“You’re not supposed to know about that,” Shaw said, rising. “Neither was Corunna.”

“Yes,” Ulysses said. “Well, she found out, one way or another. In any case, I’ve been inserting my own jury-rigged code. I plan to keep tweaking it between each reboot. Hopefully, I will have the system completely restored in an hour.”

“Not sure we have an hour,” Shaw said. “But continue.”

“I’m booting now,” Ulysses said.

The overhead map reappeared on Shaw’s faceplate.

“Looks like you’ve got it,” she said.

An alert sounded as the overhead map updated with fresh data relayed from the Argonaut’s AI. A shuttle had arrived in the first hangar bay. A Russian model. Two blue dots emerged from it. They were labeled Rade and Ms. Bounty.

“Our prey have arrived,” Shaw said.

The new dots flickered and vanished.

“Damn it,” Shaw said. “What happened?”

“Sorry,” Ulysses said. “The AI managed to circumvent my new subroutines before I could clean everything up. There’s still malicious code in play.”

If those two dots were truly friendlies, they would have remained connected to her Implant, and thus indicated on her overhead map. But they were not.

“Well hurry up!” Shaw said. “At the very least, get me access to some of the cameras.” She glanced at her Centurion escort. “The rest of you, we’re proceeding to Hangar Bay One. We have some intruders to catch.”

The combat robots piled through the exit into the passageway outside, and jogged two abreast in the cramped corridor. Shaw followed near the rear, with two units behind her on drag.

She would have launched some HS3s to scout ahead, but none of those were aboard at the moment, having deployed with the Dragonflies to the surface.

She thought of Rade, and hoped he was all right. She worried that more of the robot swarm would pursue the Argonauts.

She dismissed the thought.

I have a boarding party to repel.

She continued through the passageway, with the Centurions leading the way. Halfway to the hangar bay the combat robots in the forefront hefted their rifles.

“Halt!” one of them said.

Shaw peered past them, but spotted no one.

“They were in the scuttle,” the Centurion explained.

“Forward!” Shaw said.

The combat robots hurried toward the scuttle that led to the deck below, but the hatch sealed before they arrived.

“Open it,” Shaw said.

The robots aimed plasma rifles down at the hatch, and unleashed several shots. In seconds they had cut through.

There was no one waiting in the passageway below.

Shaw glanced at the overhead map; there was only one other scuttle leading to the current deck.

“You three, proceed down there,” Shaw said. “Flush them toward the next scuttle. You two, remain here and guard this opening. The rest of you, with me.”

Shaw hurried forward. The robots in her escort quickly assumed positions in front of and behind her.

She accessed the video feed archive of one of the Centurions that had spotted the intruders, and she played it back in the upper right of her vision as she moved. She saw the two helmeted figures peer from the scuttle. The robot had identified the pair as Rade and Ms. Bounty, according to their public profiles. And indeed, the faces of Rade and Ms. Bounty peered out from behind the helmet faceplates. Then the pair ducked from view.

Shaw dismissed the feed and continued forward.

Her group reached the scuttle and waited. The lid was sealed.

The Centurions aimed their weapons down at it. Shaw also pointed her stun rifle at the lid, though she kept her distance from the robots, remembering how easily Phants could move between the things. It would have been trivial for the alien to seep into the deck unnoticed, and enter one of the Centurions. 

Her suit protected her from a seepage attack like that, thanks to the anti-Phant EM emitter she had installed. Unfortunately, the robots did not have the same protection.

Should have had all of the Centurions suit up. Too late now.

The minutes passed. Nothing happened.

“Where are they?” Shaw said.

“They should have arrived by now,” Cora agreed.

“Unless they’ve already come through this way...” Shaw said.

And then the lid repealed. The four robots crowding the opening collapsed as they were struck by invisible laser beams.

Shaw dove into a nearby side passage.

“I need backup!” Shaw sent over the private comm channel. “Centurions, to the forward hatch!”

She kept her stun rifle aimed at the opening.

A faceplate appeared. It was Rade. Or his impostor.

She fired.

Rade ducked from view.

“Hey Shaw,” Rade said via the external speakers of his helmet.

Shaw continued to lay down suppressive fire as two robots arrived and took cover in the side passage with her.

“The tangos are hiding in the scuttle,” Shaw informed the robots.

“Shaw, it’s me,” Rade said. “I’m here with Ms. Bounty.”

She could almost believe it was him.

Almost.

“Shaw?” Rade said. “Why won’t you answer me?”

Shaw activated her own external speakers. “If it’s you, then why isn’t your Implant automatically linking with mine? So that you show up on my map? And why aren’t you using our encrypted channel?”

“My Implant is malfunctioning,” Rade said.

“All right, clamber up and come give me a hug.” Shaw kept her rifle aimed at the entrance.

“Toss your rifles to me,” Rade said. “And then you’ll get your hug.”

Shaw smiled to herself. “Sure,” she said sweetly. “After you tell me something. What are the names of our twins?”

Rade didn’t answer.

“That’s what I thought,” Shaw said.

The helmet appeared again, along with a rifle. Shaw was aiming at the wrong side of the scuttle, and was forced to duck from view. One of the robots who had assumed a defensive position beside her collapsed.

Damn it.

She aimed past the edge once more, but Rade was gone.

“Ulysses,” she sent. “Do we have full control of the ship yet?”

“Negative,” the Centurion replied. “It will be a while yet.”

“I want you to barricade yourself in engineering,” Shaw said. “If it seems the ship is about to fall, or you detect a Phant seeping into your body, launch all missiles into space. And overload the Viper system. Do you hear me? I don’t want the intruders to regain control of our weapons at any time.”

“Understood.”

“Help—” Cora said.

Shaw spun toward the remaining Centurion behind her just as it brought its rifle to bear on her. The chest area of the robot shone with droplets of purple condensation.

Shaw knocked the weapon aside with a well-placed kick then fired her stun rifle at point-blank range. A crackling sound filled the air as electrical sparks gyrated up and down the robot’s body, and it collapsed, spasming.

Cora’s warning had saved her.

One down.

Shaw’s proximity alert sounded.

Behind me!

She dropped to the deck, sliding her leg across the surface as she did so to trip the enemy she knew was behind her. Her foot hooked a boot, and the Rade imposter landed beside her, the laser weapon tumbling from his hands.

She swung her stun rifle toward him, but there wasn’t enough room; Rade caught it, ripped it from her grasp, and threw it to the side. His eyes drifted to his laser weapon...

Shaw scrambled to her feet, kicking the weapon away as she did so. She dashed toward her lost stun rifle, but something caught her boot and she tripped.

She fired her jetpack to right herself, and rose in time to defend herself as Rade came running straight at her.

The stunned robot remained on the deck behind them. A part of her mind wondered where the Phant’s original host was, and whether she would have to worry about an attack from that Artificial at some point.

Rade unleashed a flurry of blows, and Shaw dodged and deflected them. His fist smashed into the bulkhead near her head, leaving a large dent. He grabbed her arm and Shaw fired her jetpack to twist her body sideways; she gave Rade a kick to the side, partially collapsing his suit there.

Rade flung her into the ceiling like a rag doll, and then into the deck, and then the bulkhead. Then he threw her across the passageway.

She landed hard, sliding across the deck for a few meters until grinding to a halt.

The stun rifle was only two paces in front of her.

She fired her jetpack toward it, but something crunched down into the back of her legs, halting her momentum.

She heard loud clangs, and realized her attacker was bashing the jetpack.

She fired lateral thrust, turning her and her opponent over. Then she struck behind her with her elbow, contacting something. She repeated the blow several times, until her opponent released her.

She spun her body around so that she faced the deck, and mounted the imposter’s chest. Breathing hard, she struck at the helmet, cracking the faceplate.

Rade fired his jetpack before she could do any more damage and the two of them hurtled into the overhead.

Shaw struck hard, and released him.

As they fell, Rade grabbed her by one arm and leg, and bashed her headfirst into a nearby bulkhead.

She fired her jetpack, twisting away, and landed on the deck three meters distant, facing him.

She stood there for a few moments, gasping, catching her breath.

Rade remained motionless, not breathing hard in the least, staring at her with hatred in his eyes.

It’s not Rade, she reminded herself.

The corridor was slightly wider here in this part of the ship. She could use that...

She sprinted toward him and activated the magnetic actuators in her suit to attempt a maneuver she had practiced many times on the sparring mat. She ran along the bulkhead and as she squeezed past him, she twisted her body, bringing her foot around to strike him in the back of the neck.

But Rade anticipated the maneuver and swiveled his torso to grab her leg in midair. Then he swung her body into the bulkhead, and immediately after slammed his fist directly into her abdomen. The jumpsuit exoskeleton crumpled there, and agony flared in her belly.

My babies!

Rade released her and she crashed to the deck, where she curled up in pain. She wanted only to protect her abdomen, and her precious twins.

A boot cruelly stomped down on her, causing pain to flare in her side. Again. Now the boot landed on her helmet. Her faceplate cracked.

A gloved hand wrapped around the handle in the torso of her jumpsuit and hoisted her into the air. Shaw’s arms flopped weakly to her sides. The pain came in excruciating throbs inside her belly. But perhaps even worse was the agony she felt in her spirit.

My babies.

She managed to raise her arms in a protective shield around her abdomen.

Rade stared into her helmet and smirked.

He hoisted her to one side. She heard the hiss as an airlock inner hatch opened.

Rade tossed her into the narrow compartment and she slammed onto the deck.

The pain continued deep inside of her, a terrible throbbing in the womb. A place where a pregnant woman never wanted to feel pain, at least not until the end of her term.

Worse, she felt a wetness between her legs...

She had to get to sickbay. Had to make it to the Weavers. Before it was too late.

Fighting the pain, she attempted to turn herself around, but then she heard the door close behind her.

“No,” she said. “Please.”

And then the outer hatch opened, and she was sucked out into space.

fifteen

In their heat-battered Hoplites, Rade and the Argonauts made their way across the lava plain of towering basalt pillars and rocky crags and terraces, heading toward the booster rockets, which were scattered across a kilometer-wide area to the east.

The hulls had radiated enough heat by then so that they no longer glowed dull red. The camouflage skin was damaged on all of the mechs, however, darkened to a permanent black, so that when they passed over lighter-hued terrain, the Hoplites didn’t change colors to match. Well, that could be expected after surfing a lava ocean. 

He was disturbed by the loss of contact with the Argonaut. The comm nodes in the Dragonflies had been unaffected by the time bomb virus Corunna had installed in the shuttles; those comm nodes boosted their signals, so that even if the Argonaut moved out of its geosynchronous orbit, the team should have been able to reach the ship. But given Corunna had successfully installed a virus in the shuttles, Rade had no doubt the alien had tampered with the Argonaut as well.

During the journey to the booster rockets, they had passed within a kilometer of the Russian research station. Rade and the others had zoomed in and spotted the dark ring of the robot swarm, still in place around the base. The hangar dome had been open, with a Skeeter missing. Likely the craft had departed during the fight with the behemoths. That Bax hadn’t reported the launch to Shaw told Rade that the Argonaut’s AI was indeed likely compromised. Corunna and Alton had probably made good on their promise to take the ship.

Rade just hoped Shaw was all right.

“We have full control of the Dragonflies again,” Algorithm reported from Shuttle A, which was located some distance to the north beside the second shuttle, where Shaw had relocated them earlier.

“Take the shuttles into orbit immediately,” Rade instructed. “See if you can get a bead on the Argonaut.”

The team arrived at the first of the booster rockets shortly thereafter.

“Who wants to go first?” Rade asked.

Nearly everyone volunteered.

“I’m going to pick straws,” Rade said.

He threw everyone’s callsign into the randomization app and Fret’s name popped up.

“Fret, you get to go first,” Rade said.

“I didn’t even volunteer,” Fret said. But he was already making his way to the rocket. He strapped his Hoplite into the booster framework a moment later.

“I want you to initiate evasive maneuvers all the way up,” Rade said. “Just in case the swarm decides to transform into another weapon-capable behemoth.”

“Great, I’m going to be exposed to their particle beams all the way up...” Fret said.

“Good luck,” Rade said, patting one of the booster rockets with his large hand.

The team retreated, giving Fret space, and watched the launch. Blue plasma erupted from the nozzles, and in moments the Hoplite was airborne. Lateral jets expended further propellant, so that the mech zigzagged during the ascent as part of the evasive maneuvers Rade had asked for. 

No particle beam came in. Either the swarm outside the research station didn’t have the numbers needed to create a weapon-equipped behemoth, or they decided not to.

Rade zoomed in on the distant base, which was still in sight to the west. The black mass had shifted, and was now flowing across the lava plain toward them. While the swarm might not have the numbers or ability to create a behemoth, there were still enough of them to cause the team some serious damage, especially given the current states of the Hoplites.

“Looks like we’ve attracted their attention,” Rade said. “Let’s move, Argonauts!”

Rade and the others hurried across the plain, weaving between the basalt columns. They spread apart, individually heading toward the different booster rockets scattered across the terrain.

Tahoe joined him, and together they approached two booster rockets situated relatively close together. All the other Hoplites had already rocketed into the air by then. Behind Rade and Tahoe, the swarm continued to pursue across the terrain.

As Rade and Tahoe neared the first booster rocket, Tahoe said: “You take this one.”

“No, you should—”

“Damn it, Rade,” Tahoe said. “You might be the boss, but you’re also my friend. I refuse to let you always be the one to sacrifice yourself. You’re a father now. Take it. I’ll be right behind you.”

Rade reluctantly obeyed. He went to the nearest booster rocket and strapped himself into the payload area. He activated the engines and the G-forces hit as the ground fell away.

Rade was relieved to see Tahoe rocketing into the air underneath him a moment later. All of the Hoplites were airborne by then.

Farther below, the plains seethed with the black mass of the frustrated robot swarm. Rade initiated evasive maneuvers just in case the robots managed to form some sort of long-range weapon.

The twin suns of the system came into view, and Rade’s faceplate autogated to darken the blinding brightness.

“This is a planet I don’t want to see again for a long time,” TJ transmitted.

“I’m venting my piss onto the planet as we speak,” Bender said. “Say goodbye to my toilet.”

The blue glow of Tahoe’s boosters was visible just below the dark horizon of the planet, so that when the luminance went out, Rade noticed immediately.

“Tahoe!” Rade said. “What’s wrong?”

“Some kind of malfunction,” Tahoe said. “My rockets cut out. They don’t want to start.”

“Were you hit by a laser?” Rade asked.

“No,” Tahoe said. “At least I don’t think so.”

“I’m not detecting any laser activity,” Lui said from higher up.

Tahoe had begun to descend once more toward the surface. The swarm seethed and roiled in anticipation.

Rade cut off the rockets, and then applied reverse thrust to accelerate his descent. He applied lateral thrust as well to close the distance.

“I’m coming for you,” Rade sent. “Tahoe, jet toward me with your jumpjets if you can.” He glanced at the jumpjet fuel indicator of Tahoe’s Hoplite on his HUD, and saw that his friend’s fuel levels were extremely low.

“You won’t have enough rocket fuel to make it,” Tahoe said.

“There’s enough,” Rade said.

“But you’re going to have to repeat the earlier portion of the climb,” Tahoe said.

“I know,” Rade said, “which is why I need you to jet as close to me as you can.”

“I’m trying,” Tahoe said. “The booster rockets are weighing me down. Going to have to lose them.”

“Then do it.”

Tahoe’s booster rocket framework fell away as Rade continued to close with him.

“Just ran out of jumpjet fuel,” Tahoe said.

“I’m on the way,” Rade said.

“We’ll have to abandon my Hoplite,” Tahoe said. “There definitely won’t be enough rocket fuel to carry two mechs.”

“I was just about to order you to do that very thing,” Rade said.

“I’m going to retrieve the AI core,” Tahoe answered.

As Rade neared, he saw the main hatch of Tahoe’s mech fall open. Tahoe emerged, and reached underneath the cockpit.

Rade latched onto the mech. “Tahoe, climb aboard!”

“Almost have it...” Tahoe said.

“There’s no time!” Rade said.

The ground, and the robots swarming over it, was coming up fast. Tahoe still hadn’t answered, so Rade reignited the rockets, slowing the descent. But as Tahoe had mentioned, the boosters weren’t designed for carrying two Hoplites, and the plunge didn’t abate entirely.

“Tahoe, my fuel levels!” Rade said.

Tahoe finally leaped upward, latching onto Rade’s mech.

“Go!” Tahoe said.

Rade released the Hoplite and it fell away, plunging into the eager mass of robots below.

The booster rockets carried Electron skyward once more. Tahoe was barely hanging onto the hull rungs with one hand; he held the cylindrical core of his AI in the other.

Rade cradled an arm around his friend, helping to hold him in place. The best place for a passenger during a booster rocket flight was in the passenger seat, but it would be impossible for Tahoe to climb there under the current G forces. All his friend could do at the moment was hang on.

“I’ve spotted the Argonaut’s heat signature,” Algorithm reported. “It’s headed toward the outer planets. I’ve tried to hail them, but haven’t received a response. Should we pursue?”

“Not yet,” Rade said. “We’re going to need the shuttles to tow the Hoplites. Keep trying to hail the ship, though.”

“Will do,” Algorithm replied.

The planet below became a rounded sphere underneath Rade as the minutes passed; he kept an eye on the booster rocket fuel levels the whole way, which he accessed via the rocket remote interface. Those levels dropped precipitously in the latter portion of the climb, so that the fuel was completely exhausted almost immediately after attaining orbit.

“Tahoe, climb into the passenger seat,” Rade said as the G forces subsided. His stomach did somersaults.

Tahoe obeyed, and when he was strapped in, Rade jettisoned the booster rockets. Since he had no jumpjet propellant left, Manic turned back to retrieve him, and carried Electron to the waiting shuttles.

The two Dragonflies had mounted one atop the other via select magnetization of their fuselages, so that they were arranged in a stack formation. The Hoplites had similarly magnetized their own hulls, and were strung along behind the shuttles in pairs, with the mechs of TJ and Fret at the forefront.

Manic handed off Electron to Bender, who carried the Hoplite to the current trailing mechs: Sprint and Nemesis. Rade secured Electron behind Nemesis, while Bender attached Juggernaut beside him, linking to Sprint and Electron. Manic’s Hoplite secured behind Electron and Juggernaut in a similar manner.

“All right, let’s get aboard,” Rade said. “Load from the rear.”

“Words that Manic hears often, I’m sure,” Bender said.

“I want half of us in the bottommost shuttle, and the other half in the top,” Rade continued. “Algorithm, open up the bottom shuttle.”

The ramp of the aforementioned Dragonfly descended.

Starting from the rearmost, the Argonauts left the cockpits in their jumpsuits, and clambered over the mechs toward the bottommost shuttle.

Rade’s turn came. He ejected from his cockpit, and used the handholds in the hulls to follow Tahoe. He pulled himself along the surface, using his jumpsuit jetpack to cross the gap between some of the mechs, until he reached the open ramp of the shuttle. He fired a burst and maneuvered inside. Pushing off the ceiling, he floated toward one of the seats, and used the armrests to pull himself into place.

The clamps on either side telescoped into his rib area, securing him. His stomach still felt queasy: while there were inertial dampeners aboard the shuttle, there was no artificial gravity.

“Have you heard anything from the Argonaut, yet?” Rade asked after taking his seat.

“No,” Algorithm replied. “The vessel refuses to reply.”

Rade sat back, and sighed deeply.

When Tahoe, Manic, Bender, and Surus had loaded into the shuttle with him, Rade had Algorithm close the ramp. Then Brat opened up the topmost shuttle to allow the remaining Argonauts inside.

Attached to Surus’ harness were the two heat-damaged, hand-sized robots she had taken from the planet. Now that Rade could observe them up close and away from the swarm, he confirmed they bore a striking resemblance to insects, like the behemoths. Their oval-shaped, segmented metal bodies had six clawed legs, and from their heads emerged two mandibles from which thrust a single long proboscis.

“Get those robot bugs away from me!” Bender said, noticing the things for the first time.

“No one told you to sit beside me,” Surus told him.

Bender retracted his seat clamps and shoved himself across the cabin, then took a seat across from her.

“TJ, Fret, Lui, and Harlequin have loaded,” Brat informed Rade. “And I have shut the ramp.”

“Algorithm, pressurize the cabin and plot a pursuit course with the Argonaut,” Rade said. “Synchronize engines with Shuttle B, and engage.”

Rade felt his seat shudder as the engines activated. He switched to an external camera and confirmed that the topmost Dragonfly was applying propellant as well. By combining the shuttles like that, they increased their maximum possible speed, however it was still a far cry from the Argonaut’s maximum. The Hoplites were towed along behind them.

He reverted back to the view from his faceplate.

“Cabin is pressurized,” Algorithm announced.

“Open up your faceplates,” Rade said. “It’s time to conserve jumpsuit oxygen.”

Rade activated the faceplate retraction control, and the glass slid back. His face felt frigid as he inhaled the sterile air. It smelled rusty.

Other Argonauts opened their faceplates; Bender and Manic removed their helmets entirely. Surus likewise removed her helmet, shaking out her hair. Bender remained uncharacteristically quiet as she did so: he simply stared at the deck.

“Boss,” Algorithm said from the cockpit. “You know that we’ll never catch the Argonaut, right?”

“Do you have any idea of their course, yet?” Rade said.

“They appear to be heading toward the outer planets, on the way to the exit Gate,” Algorithm said.

“Are there any stations or bases on that route?” Rade said. “Where the ship could make a layover?”

“Only one,” Algorithm said. “A small pleasure-themed station orbiting the fifteenth moon of the fourth gas giant. They’ll pass it on their current trajectory. But why would they stop?”

“Probably won’t,” Rade agreed. “How long until they reach the Gate?”

“About a week,” Algorithm said.

“And how long until we arrive?” Rade asked.

“Eighteen days, at our current velocity,” Algorithm said.

Rade nodded slowly.

Like Algorithm said, we’ll never catch them.

“I suggest we make a stop at the station,” Surus said. “To purchase a temporary replacement vessel.”

“I was thinking the same thing,” Rade said. “Assuming you can afford it.”

Surus gave him what looked like an insulted half-smile.

“If we continue on our current trajectory, how long until we reach the station, Algorithm?” Rade asked.

“Five days,” Algorithm said.

“And then how long to the Gate after that?” Rade said. “Assuming we acquire a ship with the same engine profile as the Argonaut?”

“Another five days.”

“That’s reasonable,” Rade said.

“One thing that’s bugging me,” Tahoe said. “Why haven’t the Phants opened fire on us? If they wanted to stop us, whoever is in control of the Argonaut has had ample opportunity.”

“If the two Phants got aboard,” Surus said. “They would have indeed fired already. Unless something stopped them.”

“Shaw,” Tahoe said.

“Yes,” Surus said. “She must have found a way to disable the weapons.”

Rade felt his face become hot, the cold air of the cabin becoming a distant memory. Was she still aboard, a prisoner held by the Phants? Or dead? He had no way of knowing.

“Thanks for what you did out there,” Tahoe said.

Rade realized Tahoe was talking to him, and he glanced at his friend distractedly. “You would have done it for me, or any of us.”

Tahoe nodded behind his open faceplate, and when he spoke again, his voice was softer. “Do you think she’s all right?”

Tahoe didn’t have to clarify who he meant by “she.” They all knew.

Rade knotted his gloved fingers, but didn’t reply.

“If Corunna managed to install a Trojan in the shuttles,” Manic said, “who knows what kind of tampering she engaged in with the Argonaut itself?”

“This is all my fault,” Bender blurted out. “I was in charge of reviewing the system logs. But I didn’t spot a thing. Didn’t see any signs of tampering. I obviously missed something. I messed up. Big time. I should have paid extra attention to the subsystems, considering that we had a guest aboard. If I had, none of this would have happened. I should have puckered up my asshole real tight. Instead, I’ve become the very thing I despise most in life. I’ve become a bitch.”

“No you haven’t,” Rade said. “You assumed we could trust the Green. You assumed she was our ally, like we all did. Our guard was down. It’s not your fault you didn’t notice her system access attempts. She probably covered her tracks very well.”

“I disagree,” Manic said. “If he wants to call himself a bitch, let him.”

Bender looked up. His features seemed a mix of emotions. Shame. Regret. Anger.

“Yeah, that’s right, you’re a bitch,” Manic taunted.

Bender exploded. His restraining clamps retracted and he propelled himself across the cabin. He landed on Manic, his fists flying. Blood spurted from Manic’s nose; the ferocity of the attack had obviously taken him off guard, because Manic offered no defense. He was already out of the fight. He simply took the blows. 

Tahoe and Surus pulled Bender off of him.

“Manic, you all right?” Rade said, shoving off to join him.

Manic wiped the blood from his nose. “Sure. That time of the month for Bender, I guess.”

“Tahoe, get the Weaver in here,” Rade said. “Bender, damn it. We have to keep it together now more than ever before. We all need to be at our strongest in the days to come. We can’t waste energy fighting each other.”

Bender was staring down at his hands. The knuckles were bloody. Rade thought it was Manic’s blood at first, but then realized Bender had been hitting him hard enough to break his own skin.

“I’m sorry, boss,” Bender said.

“You’re damn right you’re sorry.” A sudden wave of anger came over Rade. “I’m docking half a month’s salary from your pay. And I want you to drop to the deck immediately. Assume the plank position. Activate the magnetic mounts in your chest and boot tips, strength seventy-five percent.” That would be enough to simulate gravity in the zero G environment of the cabin. It might even be too high, but Rade wanted Bender to work.

“But my hands—” Bender began.

“To hell with your hands,” Rade said, assuming his mantle of cruel taskmaster with gusto. “Drop and push ‘em. Now, bitch!”

Bender’s head shot up, a flare of rage flashing in his eyes. Rade had never called any of them a bitch before. Not even in PT. Especially not Bender.

Good. Let him feel what it’s like to be called a bitch by someone you respect, your leader, in front of everyone.

The anger quickly faded and Bender lowered his eyes once more. “Yes, boss.”

Bender dropped and attached himself to the deck. Then he began pushing out the reps, countering the magnetic forces.

“Are you sure that’s seventy-five percent?” Rade said. “Seems too easy.”

“It’s seventy-five,” Bender said.

“Make it eighty, then,” Rade said.

“Yes, boss.” Bender slowed down visibly a moment later.

“I want five hundred of these,” Rade said. “And every morning at ten a.m. you’re to attach yourself to the deck with similar magnetic settings, and do another five hundred. That should work the aggression out of you. When you’re done your current set, have the Weaver treat your knuckles.”

Rade felt a moment of pity when he saw the blood oozing from Bender’s knuckles, and heard him wheezing from the difficulty of the pushups, but Rade quickly dismissed it. Sometimes what his Argonauts really needed was tough love.

At least that was what he told himself. Because he knew, deep down, that he was only getting out his frustrations and pent-up emotions on Bender. He wasn’t angry at Bender. The man fought Manic all the time, about the littlest things.

Yes, Rade was only pissed at himself.

I’ve lost Shaw yet again. She could be dead.

He wondered if he should tell Bender to stop. The man continued to pump out those pushups, grunting with each rep.

No. Can’t go back on a punishment after it’s been meted out.

But Rade resolved to apologize to Bender later for the “bitch” comment at the very least, when they had both calmed down.

Bender’s pushup tempo increased in a sudden spurt, and he grunted loudly with each one. Rade doubted the Argonaut had lowered the magnetization setting; he was sure Bender was merely getting mad all over again, and using the anger to power through.

Might be a while before I can get in that apology.

sixteen

Rade had given the team the order to rack out, but was unable to do so himself. How could he sleep, knowing that Shaw was somewhere out there, either dead or trapped aboard the ship?

Surus was also awake, of course. She was sitting in the cockpit beside Algorithm, examining the swarm robot she had captured.

In the dim cabin light, Bender shifted. Rade focused his attention on the Argonaut. After the Weaver had finished attending Manic, it had waited about half an hour for Bender to finish his push-ups, and then gone to him. That had been a few minutes ago.

Rade retracted the seat clamps and shoved off, floating to him.

Bender glanced up.

“Hey boss,” Bender said quietly. His fists were wrapped in gauze. The knuckles were bloody. Odd; there should have been no blood on them at all. Hell, he shouldn’t have even needed any bandages once the surgical robot was done.

Then again, now that Rade thought about it, the Weaver’s session had been a little short.

“How are the hands?” Rade asked softly. He pulled himself into an empty seat beside Bender.

“Fine,” Bender said.

“They don’t look fine,” Rade said. “I told you to have the Weaver treat them.”

“You did,” Bender agreed.

“Then why haven’t you?” Rade asked.

“Dunno,” Bender said. “Guess I wanted to punish myself further for attacking Manic for no reason. And for allowing Corunna to steal our ship, and Shaw. Pushups... well, pushups ain’t enough.”

“The only one who should be punished is me,” Rade said. “It’s my fault any of this happened. I could have refused to allow Corunna aboard. Or I could have had her watched more readily, not just by the AI, but by members of our crew. It’s because of me that we’ve lost the Argonaut. And Shaw.” As well as my unborn boy and girl.

“Then why do I feel so bad?” Bender said. “I hate this. Knowing that we’ve lost one of the most important crew members of all. We let Shaw down. She’s our astrogator. We all love her.”

Rade felt himself tearing up and he had to look away. The tears accumulated around his eyes in the zero G and he had to wipe them away, taking a moment to compose himself. Finally, he glanced at Bender once more and said: “By the way, I’m sorry for saying you were a bitch earlier. That was uncalled for.”

“Nah,” Bender said. “You can call me bitch if you want. You’re the boss. If I’m anyone’s bitch, I’m yours. Just don’t insert it too hard, kay?”

Rade laughed, and for a moment he forgot all of his troubles. “What would I do without you? You’re not my bitch. You never will be. You’re one of the best men I have. Maybe the best. Despite your foibles.”

“Thanks, boss,” Bender said. “Try not to give me a big head. Hey, wait a second, what foibles?”

“Your inclination to scuffle with Manic, for example,” Rade said.

“Oh,” Bender said. “That. He’s the one always instigating it. You saw what he did back there.”

“I did,” Rade said, allowing his voice to grow sarcastic. “He’s a very bad man, isn’t he?”

“Damn straight.”

“I’m awake you know...” Manic said.

“Go back to sleep, bitch, before I break your other nose,” Bender said.

“My other nose?” Manic said. “What the hell’s that supposed to mean?”

“Your dick...” Bender said.

“Um,” Manic said. “You can’t break a dick.”

“Yeah you can,” Bender said. “Snap the spongy chambers inside, and it’s broken. You’ll swell up like a balloon.”

“That’s a disgusting image,” Manic said.

“Really?” Bender said. “I thought you’d enjoy it. Considering that your dick is so small, you’d do anything to make it bigger, even break it.”

“How about I break your dick instead?” Manic said.

“Okay,” Rade said. “That’s enough, Bender. Go to sleep, Manic.”

“Yes, boss,” Manic said.

Rade turned back toward Bender. Rade was still wearing his helmet, with the faceplate open, and as such was able to extend the noise canceler around Bender so that no one else would hear his next words. If he were aboard the Argonaut, similar noise cancelers embedded in the overhead would have offered the same functionality without the need for a helmet.

Bender must have heard the subtle dampening of sound in the cabin, because he said: “Noise canceler?”

“Yes,” Rade said.

“Perfect,” Bender said. “So I can be completely straight up with you. It really was my fault, boss. For real. I don’t know what I’m going to do. I feel like I’m dying inside. If something happens to Shaw, or your unborn children—”

“Listen to me, Bender, and listen good,” Rade said. “Because I’m not going to tell you this again. The fault is mine. You get that? Mine. And if you want to help me shoulder the blame, that’s fine, but it’s not something I’m asking of you, and I hope, I really do, that you’ll drop this. As I said before, what the hell would we do without you? If you weren’t here to fight at our sides, who would we have to stand between us and the long legion of bugs in this hostile universe?”

Bender sniffed and wiped at one eye. At first Rade wasn’t sure if he was joking, or serious, but then when Bender looked away and wiped his eye again, Rade realized the man was sincere.

“Thanks, boss,” Bender said. “That means a lot to me.” He chuckled softly. “Bugs. They really are everywhere these days, aren’t they? If not organic bugs, then robotic.” He shook his head. “The bitches. Hard to believe, there was once a time when humanity believed itself alone in this universe. In our very own youths people were still talking about the Fermi paradox. We had achieved faster than light space travel, with the help of Slipstreams, and still encountered no aliens. Until we discovered the Phants. After that happened, it’s like the floodgates were unleashed. The asshole of the universe opened right up to shit aliens all over us. We encounter a new bug species almost every other year. Literally a fecal explosion of bugs. There’s gotta be an explanation for that.”

“I’m sure you’ll come up with one,” Rade said. “Bender’s Bug Paradox. Bowel movements not included.”

“That’s right,” Bender said. “Though the only explanation I got is that the universe hates us. The Argonauts, particularly.”

“It’s a good theory, but I think you’re wrong,” Rade said. “Because if the universe hated us, we wouldn’t be alive right now. All the brushes with death we’ve had, all the narrow escapes, I can’t believe that the universe has singled us out for anything but good luck. To counter the bad luck of meeting the bugs in the first place.”

Bender stared at him seriously for a moment, then cracked a grin. “You know that makes no sense, right? Good luck to counter the bad luck of meeting the bugs...”

Rade laughed. “I suppose not.”

“But even so,” Bender continued. “I actually feel better now after talking with you.”

Rade patted him on the back. “Go to the Weaver. Get those knuckles treated. You’ve punished yourself enough. And going forward, leave all the punishing to me.”

Bender flashed a crooked smile. “You got it, boss.” He pulled himself from his seat and launched toward the rear of the cabin, where the Weaver awaited.

Watching him go, Rade shook his head, reflecting on what he had just said. Bender had seen right through his lie: that little bit about the universe being on their side and always bringing them good luck. Back in his military days, Rade had learned firsthand how little the universe cared about him and his team. Stints of good luck were routinely followed by even longer spells of bad luck. As a part of the team, Bender would have known that very well.

Rade just hoped that Shaw wasn’t at the forefront of the latest downturn in their luck.

SHAW STARED NUMBLY at the spinning points of light before her. Her mind continually dwelled upon the events leading up to her expulsion into the void, and what happened thereafter.

Incredibly, when she was sucked from the airlock, her suit integrity had remained intact, and still had pressure, despite the damage taken in the fight with the impostor.

Other Centurions appeared in the void shortly thereafter, similarly expelled from the airlock, continuing along the same trajectory as the Argonaut like herself.

Shaw ignored the pain in her belly and attempted to jet toward the Argonaut, but quickly realized the futility of it. The tiny propellant from the jetpack wasn’t enough to get her back to the rapidly receding ship, especially when said vessel continued to accelerate. She was merely wasting fuel.

So she gave up.

Shaw, the woman who never gave up, simply yielded.

And so there she lay, motionless in defeat, drifting aimlessly through space.

How much time had passed, she didn’t know. Half an hour. An hour, maybe. She simply stared unblinking at the pitiless universe outside her faceplate.

The throbbing pain in her belly had numbed to a distant ache, which occasionally flared up. The pain had seeped into her spirit instead, where it burned her core relentlessly.

My babies.

All was lost. Her twins were dying. And her oxygen was running out.

The end had come.

Rade had done this.

No. She knew it wasn’t Rade. It was an impostor. And yet, it felt like he had committed this crime, if not directly, than indirectly. He had left her aboard the ship. Abandoned her, and gone to the surface, leaving her to search for an enemy, when the foe was already in their midst.

No, it was my choice to stay.

She couldn’t get that final image from her mind. Of Rade punching her in the belly, and then smirking. Her logical mind told her that it wasn’t him, but her emotional mind reminded her that he never wanted the babies in the first place, and would probably be glad when she had a double miscarriage.

No, it’s not true. He will grieve just as much as me.

She closed her eyes tightly for several long moments, willing this bad dream away. But when she opened them once more, the spinning stars remained. As did the distant ache in her belly.

It truly was the end.

I can’t give up, she told herself. I can’t.

The flipflop wasn’t unexpected. Her emotions had essentially been flung onto a metaphorical rollercoaster since her pregnancy, with bouts of depression coming and going. Still, the stark reality of her situation was hard to deny.

She didn’t want to give up, but what choice did she have? The PASS mechanism she wore at her belt had been damaged in the fight with the impostor. And even if it had not been, the Personal Alert Safety System wasn’t powerful enough to transmit farther than several hundred thousand kilometers. And her weak thermal signature wouldn’t register as anything more than background radiation beyond a few kilometers.

Yes, she was doomed.

She glanced at her overhead map and saw the positions of the other robots that had been ejected into space shortly after her, carried forward along a similar trajectory by their initial momentum when they emerged from the Argonaut. Their AI cores were offline, but her Implant still detected their active PASS mechanisms, which transmitted positional information. Those blue dots on the map were her sole accompaniment in this long flight into oblivion.

As she stared at those blue beacons of light, something triggered in her memories. Something Rade had told her long ago.

A smidgen of a plan began to form in her mind.

She fired her jetpack and went to the robots in turn, collecting them. She activated the magnetic mounts on her jumpsuit to attach them to her, and used the carbon fiber cord in her utility belt to further secure them as necessary. It took all of her jumpjet fuel, but soon she had gathered the closest six robots in range.

She recalled Rade’s words once again. Something he had said in passing during a routine jumpsuit inspection. “Did you know, you can link the power supplies from the Centurions to a single PASS mechanism? It’s a quick way to boost the range in a bind.”

Shaw removed the device from the waist of the robot closest to her, and proceeded to open up the Centurion’s chest panel. She redirected the battery leads to the mechanism, and repeated the latter action with the remaining Centurions until she had joined all of them to the single device.

Then she powered on the mechanism. She was relieved when the green light appeared.

Now all she could do was wait.

It might not be enough.

Probably wasn’t.

But it was all she had.

She was used to facing desolation and hopelessness at various times in her life. And as she stared out into the infinite points of lights composing the void, all she could think was how a day before she had thought the starscape so beautiful.

But it held no beauty now.

She felt the earlier despair creeping up to engulf her once more.

She was going to lose two points of light more valuable to her than any of those stars. Two points that had not yet been born. Even if she survived this, the chances were low that her children would. Too much time had passed since she was hit in the womb.

No. That’s not true. They will survive! They’re strong, like their father and mother.

She winced as a powerful wave of pain passed through her abdomen.

Forgive me, Alex and Sil.

I failed to protect you, as was my duty.

I failed...

seventeen

Finished his talk with Bender, Rade shoved off from the cabin wall toward the cockpit. He didn’t want to attempt sleep, not for quite a while yet. And yet he couldn’t simply idle in his seat, not in his current condition: he needed something to distract his mind from Shaw.

He halted his forward motion by grabbing on to the rear of the seat Surus occupied beside Algorithm.

She glanced at him over her shoulder, a questioning look on her face in the dim light.

Rade nodded toward the swarm robot she had placed on the featureless dashboard. It was roughly the size of his hand, or a big tarantula.

“What do we know so far?” Rade asked.

The robot was lying on its back, its legs spread apart and pinned down, its underside exposed. Like an insect, the oval-shaped body was divided into three segments, a long abdomen, smaller thorax that bore the legs, and a smaller head. Above the mandibles of the head he saw two dark, previously unnoticed smears that could have been eyes. At the end of the abdomen were four small hooks, perhaps stingers.

Surus had peeled back a portion of the metal skin along the underside, probably via the surgical laser in her glove, to reveal the innards, which resembled steel wool.

“Where to begin...” Surus said. “You see the hooks on the abdomen of the micro robot? Those are essentially spinnerets.”

“Spinnerets?” Rade said. “Like a spider?”

“Yes,” Surus said. “Except that instead of spinning a web, it uses the raw materials it ingests to 3D print copies of itself. When utilized in conjunction with its minuscule pulse laser, which can fuse different parts together, it can create these clones at a rapid pace. I reviewed the video logs I took from the tunnel, when the swarm engulfed and disintegrated the exploratory vehicle, and saw evidence of this behavior. The metal skin also appears to be selectively magnetizable, much like the hulls of the Hoplites; that property, in addition to the realtime 3D-printing capabilities provided by the spinnerets and lasers, allowed the swarm to create the massive behemoths we saw, including the particle beam weapons.”

Rade frowned. “Where’s this pulse laser you mentioned?”

“Here.” Surus pointed at the small tube that protruded between the robot’s mandibles.

“Looks like a proboscis,” Rade said.

“Be careful not to confuse biological components common in the human world with mechanical components in the alien,” Surus said. “It is a laser.”

“Why didn’t they ever fire on us with those lasers?” Rade said.

“They’re extremely short range. Equivalent to the surgical lasers in the fingertips of your jumpsuit gloves. In addition to helping with the 3D printing process, my guess is the laser aids the mandibles in tearing away raw materials from objects, perhaps using it to help break down metals into raw materials for internal processing before eventual 3D printing via the spinnerets. It is a very good thing we never allowed the swarm to touch our Hoplites.”

“I hear you,” Rade said. “So tell me, how do they communicate?”

“There are four dark spots on the upper carapace,” she said. “As far as I can determine, those are antennae, allowing the robots to link. They don’t communicate via ordinary radio waves, however. I believe they utilize quantum Slipstreams.”

“Quantum Slipstreams again,” Rade said. “Like Phants.”

“Yes,” Surus said. “I picked up the signatures out there. I’m sure some of your Argonauts did as well, or if not, they will when they review the combat logs. I’m not certain if that’s the default communication method these aliens used, or something Alton baked in. I suspect the latter, however these robots are clearly Tech Class IV machinery, and it is possible the alien creators may have discovered quantum Slipstream communications independently, perhaps millions of years before we did.”

“You say that like you believe the aliens are extinct,” Rade said.

“They must be,” Surus said. “For their ship to be encased in rock like that, hundreds of thousands, if not millions of years, would have had to have passed. Those that were in suspended animation aboard were likely the last of their kind. And Alton slew them all.”

“Not all of them,” Rade said, nodding toward the robot.

Surus nodded. “Their AI legacy lives on. It appears that each of these robots have a small neural network. The miniaturizing tech is ahead of anything humans have. They’ve essentially packed the equivalent of a cat’s brain into the space of a tarantula.”

“So each of them is individually sentient?” Rade asked

“In the same way a cat is sentient. With that respective level of intelligence.”

“So not very,” Rade said.

“Animals such as cats can be very smart, but yes, taken individually, the micro robots lack the higher functions of something like a human being. However, when they form part of the swarm, linking via the adhoc quantum Slipstream network, or when combining to create the bigger behemoths, joining their individual neural nets into a single coherent unit, I have no doubt they become a being of massive intellect. Definitely incredibly self-aware, and cunning.”

“We need a way to neutralize or disrupt their communications,” Rade said. “The equivalent of Repellent, as Bender said earlier.”

“Quantum Slipstreams are not very susceptible to directional interference,” Surus said. “Though it’s possible I might be able to disrupt their communications by means of a spoofing attack. I’d have to create a quantum Slipstream antenna of my own.”

“What do you need for that?” Rade asked.

She shook her head. “If I was aboard the Argonaut, with access to the industrial-grade 3D printers aboard, I could come up with something in relatively short order. But as of right now, I can do nothing.”

“Can’t you repurpose the antennae in the samples you captured?” Rade asked, nodding toward the micro robot.

“Since they are damaged, and I don’t quite understand how these robots are powered,” Surus said, “that will prove difficult.”

“All right,” Rade said. “Keep working.”

He turned away, and was about to shove off from the seats when Algorithm spoke.

“Got a signal!” Algorithm said.

Rade swung back around to face the Centurion. “Shaw. Where is she?”

“It’s not Shaw,” Algorithm said.

Rade’s hopes fell.

“At least,” Algorithm continued, “not according to these readings. The signal ID matches the PASS device assigned to Unit U. Though the signal intensity is far higher than I’d expect.”

“It’s her,” Rade said. “It has to be. She must have linked the power supplies from multiple robots to the PASS.” Something I told her about once. I think. “How far away is it?”

“Not far,” Algorithm said. “The signal is on the same trajectory as the Argonaut, with a velocity vector of about a quarter the speed. We’ll reach it in thirty minutes.”

“Thirty minutes?” Rade said. “A quarter the speed? So she’s not aboard the Argonaut...”

“No,” Algorithm said. “If it is Shaw, she’s definitely not aboard. The signal is far behind the Argonaut. She must have jettisoned before the Marauder class ship achieved its full speed. Would you like me to adjust course for a pickup?”

Rade didn’t answer.

She had to be with that robot. She had to have a jumpsuit.

“Boss?” Algorithm said.

“Yes,” Rade said distractedly. “Set a course.”

Some of the Argonauts must have heard, because in a few minutes time they were all awake, anxiously awaiting news on Shaw.

When they were fifteen minutes out, Algorithm reported: “I’m able to get a relatively good picture on maximum zoom. It’s definitely Shaw. She’s wearing a jumpsuit. It appears she’s attached several other jettisoned robots to her spacesuit.”

Rade switched to the external forward camera. It was already set to maximum magnification. Six combat robots were huddled around a figure in a jumpsuit. That figure slowly rotated. He could see the connections leading from open panels in the chests of the Centurions to a PASS device clutched in the figure’s hand.

The faceplate came into view and Rade’s heart leaped.

It was Shaw.

But her eyes were closed.

He couldn’t tell if she was breathing.

He told himself that she wasn’t dead. She wasn’t.

But then why was her face so pale? Almost bluish...

“We should be within hailing range,” Rade said.

“Yes,” Algorithm said. “I’ve been trying to reach her, but she’s not responding.”

“What about the robots?” Rade said.

“They appear to be offline,” Algorithm said.

Rade felt a rising feeling of dread in the pit of his stomach as the twin shuttles continued to approach.

Five minutes away he went to the rear of the cabin and sealed his faceplate. “Argonauts, helmets on and faceplates sealed. Algorithm, prepare to depressurize and open the cabin.”

One minute out, Rade gave the order for Algorithm to begin slowing down to match speed.

He attached a lifeline to the cabin wall.

“Tahoe?” Rade glanced at his friend.

Tahoe nodded, and attached a lifeline to the opposite wall.

“Depressurize,” Rade ordered. “And open the rear ramp.”

The atmosphere flushed from the cabin and the ramp opened.

“Tahoe, with me,” Rade said.

Rade floated out. The cluster of combat robots with Shaw in their midst drifted past below.

“We’re coming for you, Shaw,” Rade transmitted.

She didn’t answer.

He activated a burst of thrust and accelerated into the void. The long line of Hoplites towed along behind the shuttles drifted past above him.

He was halfway to Shaw and the Centurions when he reached the extents of his lifeline. He fired countering thrust to stabilize.

“Wait here, Tahoe,” Rade said to his friend, who had also reached the limit of his line beside him.

Rade disconnected the line and launched another burst. He floated the remaining distance to Shaw and reached through the twisted bodies of the robots to wrap his glove around the handle in her torso. Then he engaged reverse thrust.

The pair floated toward the twin shuttles. Rade exhausted his jumpjet fuel, but a moment later Tahoe latched on, and then fired his own jets to increase their return rate. In seconds they piled inside.

“Seal the ramp and pressurize,” Rade said.

The clump of robots floated in the middle of the cabin. Rade accessed the remote interface of Shaw’s jumpsuit and entered his password to demagnetize the surface. The robots drifted away. The limbs of a few of them were still secured to her jumpsuit via the carbon fiber cord, likely sourced from her utility belt. He unwrapped the cord and freed the last of the Centurions. Then he and the other Argonauts moved the robots away.

“Strap the Centurions into the spare seats,” Rade ordered, focusing his attention on Shaw.

“Why isn’t she waking up?” Manic said.

“I’ve accessed the remote interface of her suit,” Algorithm said. “Her heart has stopped. It appears her oxygen supply ran out shortly before we arrived. Her suit has taken blunt force damage in many places. Her oxygen tank was struck, and had a slow leak. Before we arrived, her suit likely injected a decelerant to slow her metabolic rate and reduce her oxygen requirements, in the hopes of prolonging her life until we could find her. By my calculations, she would have been alive up to one minute ago.”

“If we had arrived only sixty seconds earlier...” Manic said.

“I’m sorry, boss,” Algorithm said.

Tahoe was openly weeping. As was Bender.

Rade hardly noticed. His mind shifted into battle mode, and a sense of collectedness and control came over him. This would be the most important battle he had ever fought.

When Rade spoke, his voice was dead calm. “Manic, help me remove the torso assembly.”

Rade and Manic moved swiftly, opening the latches on her arm assemblies, and removing the pieces to focus on the helmet and chest areas. Together, they removed that torso faster than they had ever done for a wounded companion before. Leaving the lower assemblies of the jumpsuit in place, Rade grabbed the knife from his utility belt and used it to rip open the top portion of her cooling and ventilation undergarment, exposing her chest.

“Tahoe, the Weaver.” Rade fired his jumpjets and gently brought Shaw to one of the seats. He carefully secured her, allowing the clamps to telescope against her sides.

Rade removed his helmet and let it float away. His head felt frigid, thanks to the perspiration matting his hair. He smelled sweat, and the fetor of voided bowels, thanks to Shaw’s open suit. He vaguely wondered why the latter stench reached his nostrils, but apparently the waste disposal apparatus of the suit was malfunctioning.

My Shaw. My dearest.

Tahoe placed the Weaver down in front of her, and it magnetized its lower limbs to attach to the deck.

“Work,” Rade ordered the robot.

The Weaver telescoped one limb toward her face and fitted an oxygen mask over her mouth, forming a tight seal. Another of its limbs pinched her nostrils. Then it activated its defibrillator mode, placing the gel-padded plates of two resuscitation electrodes crosswise her chest.

Shaw’s cheeks puffed as air was forced into her mouth; those two plates hummed and her body jumped as electrical current shot through her chest. The Weaver repeated the reviving procedure, and once more her cheeks bulged and her torso leaped. Again. Again.

Come on.

This went on for about a minute. And then the Weaver ceased its attempts and turned toward Rade.

“I’m sorry,” the Weaver said. “It’s too late.”

eighteen

Rade stared at the surgical robot, speechless.

“I might still be able to save the fetuses,” the Weaver said. “At least one of them.”

Rade hardly heard. His mind was kilometers away. Shaw was dead.

He couldn’t believe it.

After everything they had been through, for her to end her life here, like this, it didn’t make sense.

None of it did.

Rade felt something else then.

A feeling more powerful than anything he had ever experienced before.

A guttural sound slowly rose in the back of his throat, becoming an all-out growl.

“Get the fuck back!” Rade said. All of his battle calm and composure was lost. Rage coursed through his veins, his ire directed at the robot for daring to give up on his Shaw. There was a reason his callsign had been “Rage” back in the day.

He slammed the Weaver so hard that its magnetic attachment to the floor was lost; the oxygen mask tore from Shaw’s face and the spider-like robot plunged into the opposite wall.

Rade ripped off his gloves and positioned himself in front of Shaw.

“I’ll be damned if I let you die,” Rade said. He crossed his hands and pumped her chest. He squeezed her nostrils and breathed life into her mouth. Then he pumped her chest once more, alternating back and forth between the two resuscitations.

“Come on, Shaw,” Rade said. “Live, damn it.”

He continued to work, but she refused to revive.

“Rade...” Surus said gently. “She’s gone.”

Rade slammed his fist down toward Shaw’s chest in frustration. “Live!” He reduced the force at the last moment: a strength-enhanced blow like that would only further her death spiral.

“Live...” Rade pleaded.

But she did not.

He rested his head against her chest. He couldn’t believe it. He’d finally lost her.

But once again the anger welled up inside him.

Never give up. Never never never...

He threw his body upright and launched from the wall, halting in front of the Weaver. He hurled the surgical robot toward Shaw. “Stimulate her heart!”

The spider-like Weaver magnetized its lower appendages a moment before striking Shaw, attaching to the deck and narrowly stopping its forward motion.

“I said stimulate her heart!” Rade repeated. He was driven only by anger at the moment. Anger that he had let Shaw die. Anger that she wouldn’t wake up.

The Weaver applied the two resuscitation electrodes to her chest once more and Shaw’s body convulsed underneath.

“Again!” Rade shoved off to rejoin her side.

Shaw convulsed once more.

Rade breathed oxygen into her mouth.

“Again!” he said.

He breathed air into her lungs after her body spasmed from the current.

“Again!” Rade said.

But before the robot could obey, Shaw gasped.

Rade flung out his arm, forcing the two robotic limbs away. “Get back!”

The Weaver retreated.

Shaw’s eyelids shot open, and she took several long, frantic inhales. Her irises were wide with fear.

Rade tore off her glove and held her hand.

“Breathe,” he said. “Breathe.”

After several moments she calmed down, her chest rising and falling slowly. Then she gazed at her surroundings, as if noticing where she was for the first time.

“Why is everyone looking at me like I died?” Shaw said. She seemed to notice that her chest was exposed, and reached up to cover herself in embarrassment.

“Dunno,” Rade said. He couldn’t help the lone tear that formed, a stinging ball of liquid in his eye. He blinked, but it refused to roll away in the zero G, forcing him to wipe it away with one finger.

Tahoe gave her a blanket from a storage closet, and she promptly wrapped it around her upper body.

Rade turned toward the Weaver. “Treat her.”

The robot came forward once more.

Rade continued to hold her hand, not daring to let go.

“She is dehydrated,” the Weaver said. “And has suffered severe loss of blood. I will need to initiate a transfusion immediately. Your profile says you are a universal donor?”

The Weaver could have injected a plasma volume expander, but real blood was preferred, especially for a pregnant woman.

Shaw must have thought the same thing in that moment, because her eyes widened with panic again and she abruptly said: “The twins!”

“Shh,” Rade said. “We’re going to help them. But first we have to help you.”

“No, help them first,” Shaw pleaded.

Rade glanced at the Weaver.

“The mother must be stabilized before we can do anything,” the Weaver said.

Rade nodded, then opened the latches on his right arm assembly and removed the section, letting it float away. He pulled the tight undergarment underneath away from the hardpoints in his wrist and elbow and rolled the fabric toward his bicep. Then he offered the Weaver his bare forearm.

The Weaver injected an intravenous needle into the crook of his arm and withdrew blood into a tube that ran into the robot’s central core, which in this particular model looked like a series of rings laid at angles to one another around a sphere covered in small blue and green light bars.

One of the Weaver’s limbs telescoped, and it inserted a matching intravenous needle into the crook of Shaw’s right arm; Rade’s blood proceeded down the tube and into the intravenous.

It was only then that his mind truly registered what the Weaver was doing.

A transfusion to replenish severe blood loss...

Rade felt his face grow very cold. “Blood loss. You said blood loss. From where?”

“She suffered a severe wound to her abdomen,” the Weaver replied. 

Rade’s eyes darted toward the lower assembly of Shaw’s suit. There was a large dent in it, which covered her pregnancy hump.

“I was hit!” Shaw said, sounding delirious. “I— Alex and Sil...”

“It’s okay.” Rade rested a hand on her forehead. “They’re going to be all right.”

“I told you to help them first!” Shaw said.

Rade glanced at the Argonauts in the cabin. “Surus, Manic, remove her lower assembly.”

Surus and Manic unlatched her boots and slid them off, then pulled off the leg pieces and lower assembly.

When Rade saw the crimson stain soaking the vaginal area of Shaw’s cooling undergarment, spreading outward in all directions, his heart nearly stopped.

“Tear open the undergarment from the top down,” Rade said. “I want to see her belly.”

Surus reached down underneath the towel that wrapped Shaw’s upper body, and further ripped the undergarment to reveal Shaw’s pregnancy hump. The whole region was swollen and badly bruised.

“Weaver, give me the prognosis,” Rade said. It was all he could do to control the tremble in his voice. He dreaded, with all his heart and soul, what the Weaver would report. Dreaded that his unborn children were already dead.

Continuing the transfusion, the Weaver held another telescoping limb over Shaw’s pregnancy hump. She flinched as it touched her. The limb emitted some sort of gel as it slowly slid up and down the abdomen area.

“As far as I can determine,” the Weaver said, “the amniotic flood cushioned the fetuses from the blunt force trauma of the blow she suffered. Unfortunately, there is severe placental abruption.”

“What does that mean?” Rade said.

“The blow has caused the placentas to partially pull away from the uterine wall. This is the cause of the mother’s blood loss.”

“Can you reattach it?”

“Possibly,” the Weaver said. “But unfortunately, the unborn fetuses are suffering from distress. Their oxygen supply has diminished, and complications arising from the heart stoppage of the mother aren’t helping matters. I am afraid they will miscarry, unless I remove them immediately. Even then, I am uncertain both will survive.”

“Don’t let it cut out the twins,” Shaw said. “Please. You know I wanted to have them naturally!”

Rade tightened his grip on her hand. “The Weaver is trying to save them. We have to cut them out.”

“No,” Shaw said. “No...”

Rade glanced at the Weaver. “Is there no other way?’

“Negative,” the Weaver said.

“Transmit your findings to Algorithm,” Rade said. “All the raw data from your scan. Algorithm, review the data and confirm.”

A moment later Algorithm said: “The Weaver is right. The fetuses will have the best chance of surviving if we can remove them. Shaw’s uterine lining is severely damaged. The placentas are badly torn. It’s possible we can reattach them, but her body is already showing signs that it is preparing to shed the tissues entirely. So even if the Weaver successfully reattaches the placentas, there is a large possibility the fetuses will miscarry. I have shared the data with Harlequin as well. He agrees.”

“I do,” Harlequin transmitted from the other shuttle. “Surgically removing the infants seems the best option at this point.”

Rade surveyed the cabin around him. “This isn’t exactly the most clinical environment for preterm babies.”

“No,” the Weaver said. “But I have some ways to improve that environment.”

Rade hesitated. He glanced at Shaw, who shook her head fervently.

“Don’t do it,” Shaw said.

He wanted to listen to her. He really did. But she had just survived a near-death experience. Her mind was hardly in the necessary state to make the decision.

At least, that was what he told himself. That was how he justified what he planned to do next.

He just hoped he wasn’t making a mistake. He remembered the robot’s words: even then, I am uncertain both will survive.

Rade turned toward the Weaver. “Save the babies.”

The Weaver injected Shaw with a sedative.

“No,” Shaw said. She mouthed the word a second time, and then stared up at the ceiling unblinking. A single tear erupted from her eye, forming a liquid ball on the cornea. It should have stung her badly, but apparently the sedative numbed all pain.

Rade found himself unable to look away from that tear for several moments. All of his being was focused on it. Seeing it made him feel like he was dying inside, and he wondered if he had indeed made a terrible mistake.

“Forgive me,” Rade said, his voice barely above a whisper. He released her hand, and closed her eyelid to wipe away the tear.

The Weaver set to work, its cauterizing lasers making an incision squarely down the middle of the pregnancy hump. Rade could almost feel the pain inside himself as that beam cut into her flesh.

As he watched, all Rade could think was: the Phants are going to pay for this.

The Weaver removed the first child, snipped the umbilical cord, and washed the infant with warm water over a retractable bowl. Tahoe handed it a fresh blanket, and the Weaver used it to swaddle the baby, covering the eyes. The child was breathing, and appeared to be sleeping.

Hurry, Weaver! Rade thought. You still have another baby to save...

Finally the Weaver retrieved the second child, and repeated the motions, washing and swaddling it. That baby, too, was breathing, and seemed asleep. Rade was relieved.

“There will be several complications,” the Weaver explained. “They will need laser eye surgery to correct vision problems. Their lungs are somewhat underdeveloped, and at least one course of glucocorticoids will have to be administered to stimulate maturation. Thyroid hormones will have to be injected regularly.”

“You mentioned something about ways to improve their clinical environment...” Rade said. 

“Yes,” the Weaver stated. “They need to be kept warm, with limited exposure to germs. Since we don’t have the appropriate incubators found in neonatal intensive care units, the inner environment of two jumpsuits will have to stand in. I’ll help you choose the appropriate temperature settings. We will prepare intravenous pass-throughs via the tube extensions in the glove regions, stringing them down through the arms into the chest areas of the suits, where the babies will be placed. We’ll position them so that their heads are cradled in the helmets, allowing you to see them at all times. Eventually, after they grow out of the gavage feeding, Shaw can begin breastfeeding.”

“There should be a couple of spare jumpsuits in the armory locker,” Rade said. “Bender and Tahoe, get the suits, and follow the Weaver’s instructions to prepare the incubator environments for Alex and Sil.” Rade would have done it himself if he weren’t in the middle of a blood transfusion.

“Is that their names?” Bender said.

Rade nodded. He hadn’t revealed the names to the Argonauts, yet.

“Well, they’re ugly sons of bitches, that’s for sure,” Bender said. “You sure Manic isn’t the father?”

Rade had to smile.

He glanced at the twins. He could only see a small portion of their faces, because of the swaddling, but they were indeed red, ugly, wrinkled miniature people.

But they were his.

My son. My daughter. I’m finally a father.

He just hoped he remained one.

nineteen

Rade rested in the seat beside Shaw. He had finished the transfusion about half an hour ago. Shaw was sleeping beside him, recovering.

The infants were doing well, at least as well as could be expected for preterm babies. They lay inside the incubator environments of the jumpsuits. The two suits were magnetically attached to the deck near the cockpit, and the babies’ heads were visible inside the helmets. The pair slept, small feed tubes inserted down their throats, and intravenous drips embedded in their arms.

Rade had disabled the auto-resize ability of the internal actuators within the suits, not entirely trusting the units to correctly match the small stature of the babies. Instead, he had resorted to a low-tech solution: padding the twins with blankets to hold them in place.

Both infants suffered from a touch of apnea—occasional alarming cessations between breathing—which the Weaver said was normal for preterms. Even so, the robot remained on 24/7 standby to offer emergency mechanical lung support if necessary.

“What have you done?” Shaw said softly.

Rade glanced at her. She was awake, and staring at the infants.

Tahoe had returned Rade’s discarded helmet earlier, and it was attached to his harness. Rade fumbled for it, and slid it on, leaving the faceplate open. Then he activated its noise canceler, extending it over Shaw. While the Argonauts in the cabin might be pretending not to be listening, lying with their eyes closed, or staring at their gloved hands, he knew they would be attentive to every word. He needed some privacy with her. Especially considering that he expected their conversation to be heated.

“It was either cut them out or let them die,” Rade said.

“They would have lived,” Shaw said. “But now...” She shook her head sadly.

“They will live,” Rade said. “They’re fighters, like you and me.”

She spun on him. “I’m not a fighter. I never was. I should be at home. At my vinery. Growing grapes. Like I was meant to do. Instead I followed you to the outskirts of the galaxy. Facing aliens, killer robots, and Phants. Why? Because I’m a fool. I made a choice. The wrong one.”

Rade frowned. “That’s not you talking. Postpartum depression is—”

“Don’t postpartum depression me,” Shaw said. “This isn’t depression, this is reality. I almost lost my children. I still might lose them.”

Her eyes shot him an accusing look, and Rade found himself unable to withstand it, and instead he lowered his gaze.

It’s not my fault, he wanted to tell her. And yet he still felt partially responsible for what had happened.

“There’s nothing after, you know,” Shaw said after a moment.

“What do you mean?”

“I was dead, wasn’t I?” Shaw said. “You had to revive me?”

Rade nodded slowly.

“There’s nothing after,” Shaw said firmly.

Rade didn’t know what to say to that. It was best to let her speak, and get it out of her system.

“I dreamt of having children for so long,” Shaw said. “But not like this. Never like this. What a nightmare.”

Rade felt the urge to comfort her, but once more he didn’t know what words to use. He wasn’t sure she could be comforted.

I was never good at this stuff.

Still, he had to try. 

“I thought I lost you back there,” Rade said. “I thought—”

“You did lose me,” Shaw interrupted with a finality that disturbed him. “You did. There’s no coming back from what happened. I’ve fallen over the brink. You and I, we’re done.”

Rade finally met her eyes. His features hardened when he saw the grim set of her jaw. “You don’t mean that.”

“Oh I do,” Shaw said. “You’re the biggest mistake I’ve ever made. When this mission is over, I’m taking the twins with me. You and your Argonauts can go romping around the galaxy on your own and continue to throw yourselves into the paths of alien lasers for all I care. But you and I, we’re through.”

“You got it,” Rade said.

Shaw teared up and looked away. “You bastard. You’re supposed to fight for me. You’re going to give me up so easily? What an asshole.”

Rade was stunned.

What the hell do I say?

She wiped her eyes, and the liquid balls floated off her fingers.

“All right, obviously you’re not yourself right now,” Rade said. “You’ve been through a traumatic experience, and need time—”

“I hate you,” Shaw said.

Rade stared at her. It felt like she had stabbed him through the heart. He buried the feeling with difficulty.

She’s not herself.

Rade turned his back on her but remained seated. He had to stay at her side, he owed her that much. He kept the noise canceler raised in case she decided to spout more inanities. The Argonauts didn’t need to hear their domestic squabbles.

He stared at the twins. He realized that if either of the two infants died, she would never forgive him. She was right to blame him. If he hadn’t left her aboard, none of this would have happened.

No, he decided. I’m not going to blame myself for this anymore. I’ve done so many times in the past. If she had come to the surface, she could have suffered an even worse fate.

Still, if one of the children died, not only would Shaw never forgive him, Rade doubted he would ever forgive himself, either.

THE DAYS PASSED. The Argonauts did what PT they could in the cramped confines of the cabin, using their mounting magnets to attach them to the decks and bulkheads as necessary for the different calisthenics. The Weaver studiously guarded the jumpsuits incubating the twins near the cockpit, not letting the Argonauts crowd too close.

Rade used the PT as a way to punish himself. He did as many pushups as he could throughout the day, until he was utterly exhausted. They were rationing their food supply, so that meant he was often running on empty, or nearly so. But he pushed on, because the punishment felt good.

Bender often joined him, at no request of Rade’s, and together they pumped out those sets. These were in addition to the five hundred daily pushups that Rade had previously meted out to Bender, which the Argonaut dutifully performed at ten a.m. every morning. Even when Rade told him he didn’t have to do the five hundred anymore, Bender insisted on them.

“That’s one of the unfortunate side effects of MOTH training,” Manic commented from the sidelines one time, while Rade and Bender were pumping out sets in an epic exhaustion session. “Kind of turns you into a masochist.”

“Shut up, bitch,” Bender said between gasps. “You should be right here with us.”

“I would,” Manic said. “Except there’s no room on the deck.”

“Then do the set on the ceiling!” Bender said. “There’s no grav in here. What a pussy bitch you are!”

“Save your energy for your set, bro,” Manic said in a particular mocking tone that even got under Rade’s skin. “You’re going to exhaust yourself.”

“Maybe I’ll wipe that smirk off your face with my fist?” Bender said, panting. “Then you can find out just how exhausted I am.”

“I’d certainly like to see you try,” Manic said. “Bitch.”

Bender released his magnetic mounts and shoved off from the cabin floor. He slammed into Manic and began pounding him.

Manic easily deflected the blows of the exhausted man and started laughing. “You punch like a wimpy bitch. No, scratch that, the queen of wimpy bitches!”

That only further angered Bender, who redoubled his efforts.

Tahoe pulled Bender off of him.

“Ah, that was great,” Manic said. “I haven’t had such a good laugh in a long time. Not since your sister showed me her pussy, or lack thereof.”

Bender growled and broke free of Tahoe, hurtling into Manic once more. They exchanged blows.

“The two of them are going to be great role models for the twins,” Tahoe commented.

Rade stopped doing his pushups and released the magnetic mounts to get up. He glanced at the tussling pair. “You do realize that whatever injuries the two of you obtain, the Weaver isn’t going to help you? It has to devote all of its processing power to watching the twins.” That wasn’t entirely true, but Rade planned to deny them access to the surgical robot for the time being nonetheless.

That did it, and the two separated. Bender was panting loudly, and had a bloody nose, while Manic, barely breathing, had emerged relatively unscathed.

“Need a tampon?” Manic taunted.

Bender ignored him, returning to his seat and clamping in. The blood pooled around his nose in the zero G, the surface tension wiggling it around his skin as he moved. Bender grabbed one of the baby wipes from his utility belt and cleaned the blood away.

“Well, at least we’ll soon have a better use for all those baby wipes he keeps on his person,” Manic said. “We got our designated ass cleaner right there.”

“I ain’t cleaning no one’s ass,” Bender said.

“Even your own?” Manic said. “That makes sense... I was wondering why you smell so bad. Course, I suppose you won’t notice anymore, what with your nose like that.”

“Looks broken,” Tahoe commented on Bender’s nose.

“Whereas I’m completely untouched,” Manic said, smirking.

Bender grinned mockingly in return, flashing his blood-covered golden grille. “I’ll remedy that later.”

“You can certainly try,” Manic taunted.

“That’s enough, Manic,” Rade said. Manic’s comments were really getting under his skin today. Rade supposed it was because Manic hadn’t been there at Rade’s side, doing pushups with him, while Bender had.

“Sorry boss,” Manic said. “I can be an ass sometimes.”

“You certainly can,” Rade said.

Grinning widely while he held his nose, Bender merely stared at Manic.

Rade was awakened during the designated nighttime by further scuffling; Tahoe was already up, and he physically separated Bender and Manic. Rade shook his head, going back to sleep again.

The next morning Rade realized that Manic had a matching broken nose. Both he and Bender were all smiles, however, both of them thinking they had won the fight. Rade kept his promise, denying them use of the Weaver.

After Rade finished a quick pushup set, Algorithm reported that the Argonaut had indeed passed the pleasure station without stopping, and the starship continued on toward the exit Gate.

“I wonder if it’s a ruse,” Tahoe said.

“What do you mean?” Rade asked.

“It’s possible the Phants drifted free from the Argonaut when they passed,” Tahoe explained. “Perhaps crossing the void to the station while the ship continued on its way. It’s not something we’d pick up on our sensors, at least not at this distance. They could have programmed Bax to continue on toward the Gate, with the goal of drawing us away.”

“Then it’s a good thing we’re making a stop at the station,” Surus said.

For the past few days, Algorithm and Bender had worked on repairing the robots Rade had brought aboard with Shaw. They’d managed to fix two of them—Cora and Ulysses—but the remainder would require more specialized tools, such as those found aboard the hangar bays of a starship.

Meanwhile Shaw had spent the past few days mostly sleeping, and hadn’t spoken to Rade or any of the others except for a few words. But that morning, as he guzzled his liquid meal replacement through a straw, she rested a hand on his.

“Well, it’s somewhat reassuring that we’re not the only ones who fight,” Shaw said, nodding toward Bender and Manic.

“Welcome back,” Rade told her. He raised his noise canceler around her. “Or are you back?”

“For the most part,” Shaw said. “I’ve forgiven myself. And you. I’m sorry for telling you I hated you, earlier. That was uncalled for. You know, when the ship was boarded, Corunna, or the other Phant, I don’t know which, attacked me, wearing your face. It was like I was fighting you. And then when you hit me in the belly, hit the babies... it tore me apart. Even though I knew it wasn’t you, I still blamed you. Because I thought you never wanted the twins in the first place.”

“How can you say that,” Rade told her. “Of course I wanted them. It was just a surprise.”

“I know,” Shaw said. “And what happened wasn’t your fault. It never was.” She glanced at the incubating jumpsuits and shook her head slightly. “Cutting them out was probably the best decision you ever made. I checked the Weaver’s medical logs, and its diagnosis. The twins would have died within an hour if we hadn’t removed them. So I thank you for seeing clearly, when I could not. So much for my astrogating skills, huh?”

“Even astrogators make mistakes sometimes,” Rade said.

“But usually far less than captains do,” Shaw said. Her mouth betrayed a slight grin.

“I never claimed to be perfect,” Rade said.

“No,” Shaw said. “And neither did I.” She was quiet a moment. She continued to gaze at the sleeping twins. “I wonder how we’re going to explain to them that they were born in a shuttle somewhere, deep in Russian territory?”

“Maybe we’ll just tell them the truth,” Rade said.

“That I was punched in the gut by an Artificial possessed by an alien, thrown into the void, rescued a full minute after my oxygen ran out, revived from the dead, and then cut open to give birth via cesarean section?”

“Pretty much, yeah,” Rade said. “Plus, we’ll have to explain how they were raised for two months inside jumpsuits serving as incubators before they reached full term.”

“I’m hoping we’ll be able to give them real incubators soon,” Shaw said.

“I am, too,” Rade said. “We’ll have to make sure Surus chooses a ship with a fully-stocked sickbay.”

As the Argonaut continued toward the exit Gate, the twin shuttles gave the fourth gas giant of the system a wide berth—getting too close wouldn’t be wise, given their current slow acceleration—and then finally approached its fifteenth moon, where the pleasure station orbited. It was named Radost, the Russian word for joy. 

“I’ve received approval to dock,” Algorithm announced. “We’re going to have to separate the Dragonflies.”

“Electron,” Rade sent. “It’s time to separate the shuttles. Have the Hoplites reposition to avoid any unnecessary complications.”

“We’re ready,” Electron transmitted a moment later.

“Algorithm, separate shuttles,” Rade said.

He felt the hull vibrate as the magnetic mounts deactivated, and the two shuttles moved apart. Checking the external camera, he saw that the Hoplites were all connected to the bottom shuttle, which held Rade.

“What about the Hoplites?” Tahoe said. “They can’t land with us.”

“They’ll have to separate before we dock,” Rade agreed. “And land using their jumpjets. Electron?”

“Yes?” Electron transmitted.

“Judging from your status display, you’ve already completed an in-flight transference of fuel,” Rade said.

“I have,” Electron agreed.

“Do you have enough to make the landing?” Rade asked.

“Indubitably,” Electron answered.

“Well, at least your sense of humor is returning,” Rade said. “I think.”

“Tahoe had me turn up the setting,” Electron said.

Rade glanced at Tahoe. “Sly of you.”

“I figured you could use some more humor in your life,” Tahoe said. “There’s been so little to laugh at, lately. Though I’m not really sure how the word ‘indubitably’ qualifies as humor.”

“AI humor,” Rade said. “We humans don’t get it half the time. And when we do, we’re usually laughing at the wrong thing.”

“Sounds about right,” Tahoe said.

Algorithm received a trajectory from the station’s Space Traffic Controller, and slowed down to weave between the different starships orbiting the station. Most were likely manned by skeleton crews, either robot or human: the remaining personnel would have boarded the station via their own shuttles to enjoy the fruits of their labors, partaking of the various pleasures on offer. There were likely several privateers aboard. In his previous life, Rade had hunted many of them. The Sino-Korean variety anyway, not Russians.

Several minutes later the two Dragonflies made their final approach. The Hoplites released Rade’s shuttle about thirty seconds before reaching the station; the mechs fired a burst of reverse thrust to slow themselves.

The Dragonflies touched down and a few seconds later the Hoplites landed in the hangar beside them.

“The Phants aren’t here,” Surus reported.

twenty

All right,” Rade said. “That answers that. They remain aboard the Argonaut.”

Rade tapped in the hangar master after the bay doors closed and the cavernous compartment began to pressurize.

“We’d like our shuttles refueled, and our mechs as well,” Rade said. “Do whatever refits you can in an hour.”

“These particular mechs exhibit severe heat damage,” the robotic hangar master replied. “They’ll require at least three or four days of repair work, if not a full week. Maybe if I divert some longshoremen to join the techs I might be able to come in at the lower end of the estimate. I can only schedule them to start tomorrow morning, however.”

“Okay, forget it,” Rade said. “Top up the jumpjet fuel only. But sell me the spare parts and raw materials so my crew can do the repairs themselves. I’ll also need some specific combat robot fittings. I’m transmitting the full part list now.” Rade nodded toward Algorithm.

“Sent,” Algorithm said.

“Received,” the robotic hangar master replied. “For the refueling of the Dragonflies and Hoplites, plus the fittings and raw materials necessary for repairs, that’ll be twenty-seven thousand credits.”

“Yikes!” Bender said.

Rade glanced at Surus.

“Give me the account number and I’ll transfer the necessary credits,” she said.

And so the mechanized refueling platforms rolled into place, attaching their long, accordion-like tubes to the shuttles and Hoplites in turn.

“The external atmosphere has stabilized,” Algorithm announced.

“Ramps down,” Rade said. “You have a short liberty, team. It lasts until Surus can procure us a ship.”

“About time we got liberty,” Bender said. “I don’t know about you bitches, but I’m starving. Rationing liquid food isn’t my idea of fun. Shit, look at me. My muscle mass has dropped by at least ten pounds in the past five days. Big boy like me needs his macronutrients. Surus, take your sweet time out there.”

The team began stripping off their jumpsuits.

“You haven’t lost any pounds, Pussywillow,” Manic said. “If you have, it’s due to blood loss from all the times I beat the hell out of you.”

“You moron,” Bender said. “I was the one who beat the hell out of you.”

“Damn, you guys are going to have to forward me the video archives sometime,” Fret said, appearing at the down ramp already changed into a T-shirt. “I was bored out of my mind on the other shuttle. Harlequin, TJ and Lui never fight at all! They expected me to play VR games with them all day. Not the guys you want to be stranded on a desert island with.”

“Who was talking to you, skinny bitch?” Bender said. “Anyway, first thing, I’m heading to the food court. Then it’s off to the skin musicians. Hell, maybe I’ll just eat at the flesh parlor instead. Have me some maple-syrup pancakes, then turn to the right and munch on some maple-syrup pussy.”

“That’s actually kind of handy,” Manic said. “You can floss the pancakes from your teeth with the pussy hairs.”

Bender shot Manic a you’re crazy expression as he pulled off his leg assembly. “Huh? Shut up, bitch.”

“Please,” one of the robots outside said. “Station regulations require that proper clothing must be worn at all times when bodies are visible in public spaces, including the hangar.”

“It’ll only be a few moments,” Rade said.

“I am sorry, but—”

“Raise the ramp,” Rade instructed Algorithm, and the ramp sealed the robot from view.

The crew continued to change, grabbing spare clothing stuffed underneath the seats. They tossed the different shirts and pants around until they found something that fit each of them.

Rade and Shaw remained inside their jumpsuits. He had no intention of leaving the ship. Neither did Shaw, apparently.

When they were finished, Rade ordered the ramp lowered once more.

TJ was waiting out there, sporting a tight T-shirt that showed off his ample biceps, along with the myriad of mech-themed tattoos climbing up and down each arm.

Bender joined him in a matching outfit, decked out in only a few gold chains—all that he was wearing underneath his jumpsuit.

“You guys look like a couple,” Tahoe said.

“Thanks.” TJ wrapped an arm around Bender’s shoulders and blew Tahoe a kiss.

“If I were gay,” Tahoe said. “I’d definitely want to have a threesome with you two.”

Bender shrugged off TJ’s arm. “Come on, quit fooling around.”

“Any ideas where you’ll pick up a ship?” Shaw asked Surus.

“Since there is no shipyard available at this station,” Surus said. “I’ll have to buy one from a station customer. It will be costlier than buying a new ship, however. Considering that whoever I buy from will have to arrange passage from another vessel.”

“We could always arrange passage, too,” Rade said. “If we have to.”

“Given the sensitive nature of our mission, I would prefer to purchase a vessel to ourselves, if possible,” Surus said. “We can renovate it, and resell it hopefully for the purchase price, or a small loss, once we reacquire the Argonaut.”

If we reacquire it, that is.

“Agreed,” Rade said. “I’m just saying, arrange passage if you have to.”

“It’s a big station,” Shaw said. “I’m sure she’ll find someone willing to sell here. Someone tempted by all the pleasures they could buy with the profits.”

Surus nodded. “I plan to visit the Flesh Toaster first. According to the station map, it’s the biggest flesh parlor aboard. If there’s anywhere I’ll be able to procure a ship, it’s there.”

“With your looks, I have no doubt you’ll get the price you want,” Bender said. “Though you might have to promise a little extra on the side.” He winked at her.

“There will be no little extras,” Surus said.

“Why not?” Bender said. “If you can’t scare up the cash, I’m sure you could earn what you need at the flesh parlor with that fine ass of yours.”

Surus cocked her head. “Keep talking. If you want to lose your lips.”

“Better watch it,” Manic said. “I think she fully intends to tear off your lips.”

“Damn robots,” Bender said. “Sexy as hell, and deadly. What’s a man to do? Surus, once we finally get rid of all the Phants in this region of the galaxy, you should sell me Ms. Bounty. I could have a lot of fun with her. Plus, I’ll have a good side hustle, pimping her out.”

“I’m going now,” Surus said.

“Wait up, I think I’ll eat at the flesh parlor after all,” Bender said. “So I’ll accompany you.”

“I don’t need accompaniment,” Surus said coldly.

“Come on,” Bender said. “I’ll be good, I promise. Besides, when they see a muscular tree trunk of a man like me at your side, the patrons will definitely leave you alone.”

“Aww, Bender thinks he’s a white knight,” Manic said.

“Shut up bitch-tits,” Bender said.

“Okay, Pussywillow,” Manic said.

“Why don’t you take Phooey Lui to one of the station’s eateries?” Bender said. “Seeing as the two of you aren’t interested in eating pussy.”

“Who says we’re not interested?” Lui said. “I’m with you. I want to see what this Toaster looks like. And I do love pussy pancakes.”

“Well I’m going, too,” Manic said. “I don’t want to miss it when Surus tears off Bender’s pussy lips.”

Rade gave the Argonauts permission to join her on the condition that they returned immediately when the time came. Tahoe planned to eat in the food court, and Harlequin elected to join him, since neither were interested in the flesh parlor. Rade instructed Tahoe to arrange for the delivery of fresh food supplies while he was out there; hopefully by then Surus would have a ship for them to forward the supplies to. He also told Tahoe to pick up a replacement mech for the one he lost, if possible; Rade had finally received confirmation of his combat robot license renewal, and could purchase them legally once more. Though at a place like this, the sellers were just as likely not to ask to see the license, he supposed. Even so, Rade instructed two of the online combat robots to join him, so that Tahoe would have proof the license was real, and to protect him in case any of the deals turned sour.

When the Argonauts were gone, Rade ordered the remaining active Centurions outside to act as guards.

“Finally we have some quiet time,” Rade told Shaw.

“Yes,” Shaw replied.

But they didn’t talk any further. Instead, Shaw hugged him close, and Rade simply held her in his arms. That was fine with him, because he wasn’t feeling all that sociable at the moment, and honestly just wanted to cave out.

Harlequin returned a short while later with some bagged food, and Rade released Shaw to eat.

“Barbecue chicken,” Rade said, opening his carton. “Of all the food you could have purchased, all the varieties available on the station, you had to go and buy barbecue chicken.”

“It is your favorite food, isn’t it?” Harlequin said, his expression crumpling in puzzlement. “That’s what you humans always eat in the wardroom...”

“It’s fine,” Rade said, diving into his food. He had to be careful to eat slowly; coming off the five days of rationing, it would be all too easy to throw up.

Though Rade had complained to Harlequin about the lack of variety, it tasted like the best barbecue chicken he had ever had. Starvation and five days of half-ration liquid meals would do that.

Shaw, on the other hand, seemed to be forcing herself to eat.

When she noticed Rade staring at her, she said: “I don’t really have an appetite.”

“I know,” Rade said. “But keep doing what you’re doing. Finish your chicken. You’re going to need the energy.”

She nodded slowly, and ate.

“It must be an interesting feeling,” Harlequin said, staring at the two jumpsuits serving as incubators. “Knowing that you have birthed two new lifeforms. It would be like me building two Artificials from scratch, I suppose.”

“It’s not the same,” Rade said, chewing a large piece. “Since the process happens automatically in humans.”

“Not so automatically,” Shaw said. “I have to suffer the burden of pregnancy. And birth. Though I suppose I cheated this time around. But it was just as painful.”

Rade nodded sadly. “I meant only that, as humans, we don’t actually have to do any constructing personally. We don’t have to install servomotors and power supplies. Or attach limbs.”

“Hmm,” Harlequin said. “So for me, it would be more like commissioning a new Artificial to be built from the factory then.”

“I suppose so,” Rade said, ripping off another chunk of chicken.

“I wonder, would you be against my purchasing an Artificial for myself?” Harlequin said. “I could start with a small one, a child, with the personality to match. And upgrade its AI core to successively more mature personalities over time, along with more developed bodies.”

“I’d rather you didn’t,” Rade said. “We’ll have enough children aboard. If you really want to experience fatherhood, I suggest you help Shaw and me raise the twins. I expect most of the crew will participate in one way or another, after all. At some point.”

Harlequin pursed his lips, as if considering. It was an all too human expression he had no doubt developed after much observation of his fellow Argonauts. 

“It’ll be sort of like practice,” Harlequin said. “To see if I like being a father.”

“That’s right,” Rade said.

Harlequin was quiet a few moments, watching Rade eat.

“Do you wish you had had a chance to practice before actually having kids?” Harlequin said.

Rade hesitated. He glanced at Shaw. Then he sighed. “Sometimes. But in truth, I’m also a little relieved. I’m putting back some life into the universe. I’ve been taking life away from it for so long, it’s about time I repaid my debt, don’t you think?”

“I’ve never thought of it that way,” Harlequin said. “But it does make some sense. Though I somehow doubt the universe tracks individual life debts in that manner.”

“You might be surprised,” Rade said.

twenty-one

Rade received a dispatch from Surus about an hour later.

“I have some good news and some bad news,” Surus said over the comm. “Which would you prefer first?”

“The good news,” Rade said.

“I’ve managed to secure a ship,” Surus said. “It wasn’t cheap, but we’re now the proud owners of a fine Corsair class vessel. Russian Model 45.”

“And the bad news is it cost you our salaries for the next twenty years,” Rade said.

“Far more than that,” Surus said. “But that’s not the bad news.”

Rade waited for her to elaborate. When she didn’t, he said: “Well, what is it then?”

“Some of my bank accounts have been drained,” Surus said.

“What do you mean?” Rade asked. “That’s to be expected from such an expensive purchase, isn’t it?”

“No, it wasn’t the purchase,” Surus explained. “The drain occurred before. Some of the Greens hidden away in this part of the galaxy have raided my accounts. They have drained one-third of them. The other two-thirds remain untouched. I’m confident they won’t find the money, as I never used those accounts in my transactions with them.”

“So they’ve already begun squeezing you,” Rade said.

“Yes,” Surus said. “They told me to stand down, and I refused. They told me I would be hunted, just as Corunna promised. I’ve sent word to Noctua to move my home base. I only hope she succeeds in time.”

“I thought you kept your location a secret from the Greens?” Rade said.

“Not from them,” Surus said. “From your governments. Most of the Greens know, and those who do not can ask the others. The base location is compromised.”

“I’m sorry to hear that,” Rade said.

“Don’t be,” Surus said. “It was about time I moved it anyway.”

Rade glanced at Shaw and Harlequin beside him, who were listening in on the conversation. “Does it bother you that you’re betraying your race?”

“Sometimes,” Surus said. “But it bothers me more that they are betraying humanity, our greatest allies. If the majority of Greens knew what the High Council was doing, they would not approve. I’m sure the knowledge has been kept hidden from them.”

“And if that knowledge hasn’t been kept from them?” Rade said. “And all Greens do approve?”

“Then to hell with them,” Surus said. “Peace at all costs is no peace at all. Especially when the other Phants will one day break it, after they’ve conquered humanity and converted you all to geronium.”

“But you’re not going to let that happen, right?” Rade said. “The ‘convert us to geronium’ part?”

Surus nodded. “None of you will be around by then. But I will help humanity. Because even if the Greens don’t see it, it is in our best interests to protect you from the other hives.”

“You don’t want them to get stronger, is that it?” Rade said. “Before they turn on the Greens.”

“You’ve hit on it,” Surus replied.

“Our grandchildren will be around, you know,” Rade said, glancing at the jumpsuit incubators. “A human’s average lifespan is what these days... three hundred?”

“True,” Surus said. “Then I suppose I will be fighting the Phants with your grandkids.”

“Assuming they don’t find a way to get here sooner,” Rade said.

There was a pause on the connection. Finally, Surus said: “Pray that they do not.”

Rade sent a message to his Argonauts, urging them to finish up what they were doing and to proceed back to the shuttles at their earliest convenience. Some of the crew members, notably Manic, Fret, TJ and Bender, sounded either as if they were chowing down on a huge meal at the time of the call, or having sex. Maybe a combination of the two.

Rade gave the hangar master the coordinates of the corsair so that the robot had somewhere to send the repair materials. He gave the same coordinates to Tahoe for the procured food stocks. Tahoe reported that he had successfully purchased several tonnes of food, but couldn’t find a mech to replace the one he had lost.

“There are no combat robot shops aboard,” Tahoe complained. “Which kind of makes sense, I guess, considering this is a pleasure outpost. And I couldn’t find anyone interested in selling me a mech in any of the flesh parlors. Most of the clientele here are privateers and traders. The kind of people that don’t really have need of mechs.”

“Traders, I can understand,” Rade said. “But you’d think privateers could use a few mechs.”

“Maybe to defend their personal bases,” Tahoe said. “But mechs are useless for boarding parties—won’t fit most standard-issue passageways, at least in the kinds of ships they usually target.”

“Good point,” Rade said. “All right, that’s too bad. Get back to the shuttles.”

It took about half an hour, and repeated threats of abandonment before finally the Argonauts had reassembled in the shuttles once more. When everyone was aboard the two craft, Rade asked Algorithm to have Space Traffic Control expedite their launch request. Unfortunately, the tower didn’t grant them clearance for another half hour, and did so only after Surus agreed to bribe the officials. The Argonauts used the time to change back into their jumpsuits.

Finally the hangar bay vented and the shuttles took flight. The Hoplites made a running leap from the hangar bay and jetted outside to join them; they latched on behind the Dragonfly that housed Rade, allowing the shuttle to drag the mechs in a long line that mirrored their previous formation on the way to the station.

The Dragonflies proceeded toward the corsair on the course Space Traffic Control authorized. Surus sent Rade the access codes for the new starship en route. He accessed the external camera of the shuttle as it approached the ship. The vessel’s shape was reminiscent of a blaster. It had a long main section, with a smaller secondary subsection connected by a wing. Dangerous looking turrets protruded from the bluish hull of the main section on the port and starboard sides, and at the nose and aft sections resided the sealed openings of missile launch tubes. It was a sleek craft, smaller than the Argonaut. Because of its relatively small size and maneuverability, the Corsair class was favored by privateers. In fact, Rade suspected the Russian that Surus had bought it from was in fact a privateer himself.

The ship was called the Molotok. The Russian word for gavel. Rade thought it was a suiting name, given that he was going to pass judgment on the two Phants.

Using the access codes, Rade attempted to open the hangar doors. It took a few attempts, but finally the barn doors parted. The trailing Hoplites released the Dragonfly, and the shuttle landed in a hangar bay that was devoid of any craft save for a lone, beat-up telemetry drone. The mechs touched down beside it a moment later, followed by the second shuttle.

The rest of the ship proved just as empty. It seemed the previous owners had ordered any occupying robots to recover anything of value in the hour since the purchase. Or maybe the ship had been bare-boned like that to begin with. It was a good thing Rade had arranged for the food stocks and raw repair materials, because the new ship had neither.

On the bright side, it did come with some existing ordnance. Rade accessed the inventory: there were only three outdated Hellfire missiles aboard, so he would have to make a stop at some point to pick up more missiles, since the station didn’t stock any. The two banks of Viper lasers were rather weak models, but they would do for his purposes.

The internal surfaces were covered in a layer of grime. Bender swept a gloved finger along a bulkhead at one point; when he removed it the finger was darker and a light streak remained on the wall.

“Nice,” Bender said. “Hope you didn’t pay too much for this junk bucket. Feels like a derelict.”

“And I hope you enjoyed the company, and cost, of those three women,” Surus said. Was that a hint of jealousy in her tone?

Bender flashed his golden grille. “I certainly did. I got some memories to last me for the next few months. It’s too bad Manic had to rent the room beside mine. Don’t think I’ll ever be able to scrub his shouts of ecstasy from my mind.” He glanced at Manic. “What the hell were you shouting? ‘Pound me harder?’ Geez.”

“Um, no,” Manic said. “That was the skin musician shouting that.”

“Yeah, sure sure,” Bender said. “That was you. Squealing like a little bitch, as always. Maybe you shouldn’t rent a male skin musician next time.”

“Come on Lui,” Manic said. “Back me up here.”

“Sorry, I wasn’t paying too much attention to the gals you ordered,” Lui said. “Too busy throwing up.”

“What?” Tahoe said. “What happened?”

“Simple,” Lui said. “That place was a foodie paradise. There was this big buffet, see, with all the dishes served on naked bodies. It was split into male and female foods. I focused on the female, of course.”

“Ha!” Bender said. “I saw you hovering around the buffet dish labeled ‘spotted dick’ when I got out. And literally, it was spotted dick.”

“Bro, you’re going to make me throw up again,” Lui said.

“You never said what happened,” Tahoe pressed.

“Well, what do you think?” Lui said. “All you could eat, served off naked female bodies? Of course I made myself sick. Should have paced myself after living off liquid rations for the past five days.”

The cargo haulers with the raw foodstuffs and repair materials arrived shortly after the crew docked, and Rade had Tahoe supervise the loading of the cargo bays as robot longshoremen and bulk loaders transferred them aboard.

As an aside, Tahoe reported that there were bloodstains in the cargo bay—he tried cleaning them, but couldn’t get the stains out. The news only confirmed for Rade that the ship’s previous owner was a privateer.

Rade and Shaw escorted the twins to the sickbay. The Molotok didn’t have any incubators aboard, but it did have relatively decent 3D printers, so Rade was able to print a proper set after digging up some of the recently arrived raw materials. He left Shaw in sickbay to supervise the transfer of the babies to their new environments.

Bender and Manic arrived as Rade was leaving, with the intention of finally getting their broken noses set.

“Time to make myself pretty for Bender,” Manic said.

“That way I can break it again!” Bender added gleefully.

“What, break your own nose?” Manic said.

“No, Bitch-tits, yours!”

Rade assigned berthing areas and chose the largest stateroom for himself and Shaw. He carried spare fatigues from the shuttle, and after changing out of his jumpsuit, he made his way to the bridge.

He took his place at the equivalent of the Sphinx—all human ships utilized the same circular design for their bridges, with empty stations whose features were accessible by Implant or aReal goggles. Those features were operated by the on-board AI by default, unless a human took over.

“Harlequin,” Rade sent the Artificial. “I want all active Centurions to begin repairs of the Hoplites and offline robots immediately. I want you to help with the work. Focus on the Hoplites first. When the units are fully operational, make sure their jumpjets are topped up again, and their frag grenades restocked.”

“Understood,” Harlequin replied.

“Lui, set a course for the exit Gate,” Rade said.

“Course set,” Lui replied.

He glanced toward the astrogator station, but Shaw wasn’t there of course. He turned toward Lui instead: “Engage.”

Ten minutes later, Lui reported: “We’ve already achieved full acceleration.”

“That was fast,” Rade said.

“A little faster than the Argonaut,” Lui said. “We’re already beginning to overtake her.”

“I don’t suppose we’ll beat her to the Gate?”

“Not by a long shot,” Lui said. “I did say a little faster, didn’t I?”

“True enough,” Rade said.

“We’ll arrive three days after she passes though,” Lui said.

“It’s better than the thirteen days it would have taken us by shuttle.”

“It is,” Lui agreed.

Bender and Manic joined the bridge crew forty minutes later. Their noses were straightened.

“Well look at the pretty boys,” Lui said.

“You’re the pretty boy,” Bender said. “With your perfect complexion and shiny blue eyes, I almost want you to give me a blow. We just need to throw a wig on you and you’re set. You should start a VR channel. Phooey Lui, foodie man. He teaches blow job training via food. ‘Today, boys and girls, I’m going to teach you how to get rid of your gag reflex by eating bananas whole!’”

Shaw, who had been supervising the twins in the sickbay, arrived an hour later. She must have visited the shared stateroom first, because she, too, had changed out of her jumpsuit and into fatigues.

“The astrogator’s chair awaits you,” Rade said.

Shaw made her way to the station and paused before sitting down. She frowned. “Dusty.” She leaned over and swept the seat with one hand.

Rade smiled to himself. It was good to see her old personality returning.

“It seems the last owners didn’t use an actual astrogator,” Fret said. “They relied upon the ship’s AI for navigation.”

“You know that’s not actually dust, right?” Lui said.

“Well what is it, then?” Fret said.

“Human skin.”

Shaw froze, gazing at her hand in disgust. She wiped white dust away from her fingers and knuckles.

“Don’t be too disgusted,” Lui said. “You do know we shed almost a million cells of human skin per day, right? And depending on how well the ship’s ventilation system works to sweep those cells away, you’ll be breathing in a whole lot of them.”

“Thanks for that,” Shaw said.

“Welcome to the bridge,” Bender told Shaw. “We missed you.”

“Why thank you, Bender.” Shaw smiled with a false sweetness, obviously suspecting that Bender was up to something.

Sure enough, Bender’s eyes gleamed mischievously. “By the way, have you met the latest incarnation of the AI?”

Shaw regarded him uncertainly, and then said into the air. “AI?”

“Please,” a sensual female voice said, “call me Fellatio. How may I service you?”

Bender erupted in a loud guffaw. Manic was snickering across from him.

“Um, Rade?” Shaw said.

Rade looked at Bender crossly. “It didn’t say that a few minutes ago. Change it back.”

“Aww, come on boss,” Bender said. “The AI is so much more entertaining now. This is how all AIs should be.”

“Bender...”

“How would you like it if I reprogrammed the AI to sound like a servile gigolo?” Shaw said. “And gave it the name Cunnilingus? Or perhaps Pussylicker?”

It was Manic’s turn to burst out in uproarious laughter. “I’d love that!”

Bender only scowled. “Fine. I don’t know what the big deal is. It’s just an AI.” He paused. “It’s done.”

“AI?” Shaw tried again.

“Greetings,” a strident male voice responded. “I am Mikhail. How can I help you?”

Bender gritted his teeth and flinched, obviously not liking the voice.

“Better,” Shaw said.

“Ah, gotta go,” Bender said. “And it’s not because of the AI.”

He dashed from the bridge, holding his stomach as if in pain.

“What was that?” Manic said.

Bender returned a few minutes later and took his seat.

“Man, did anyone else use the head, yet?” Bender said. “Damn man, after all that food, I really feel like I ripped my asshole.” He shifted uncomfortably in his seat.

“You digest fast,” Tahoe commented.

“Are you sure that’s from the food?” Manic said. “I thought I saw you and Fret walking off to a storage closet hand-in-hand earlier...”

“What!” Bender said. “More like you and Fret. I know you got a thing for skinny men. Besides, how can he resist you, what with that fine pretty face you have, and those scrumptiously plump bitch tits. You so fine!”

“There he goes with the bitch tits again,” Manic said. “Bro, these are muscles.”

Bender chortled. “You call those muscles? Those!” He keeled over laughing.

“Ahh, it’s good to be back aboard the bridge of a starship with such mature individuals,” Lui said. “Working together in harmony with my brothers—and sisters—toward our common goal.”

“It is indeed,” Rade agreed, a wide grin on his face.

He reached under his station and squeezed Shaw’s hand.

twenty-two

Over the next few days, the Molotok continued toward the Gate. The Argonaut passed through three days ahead of them, vanishing from the tactical display Mikhail fed to their Implants.

The crew settled in, and accustomed themselves to their new digs. Rade led them in PT each morning in the cargo hold, followed by breakfast in the cramped wardroom. There was no dedicated gym aboard the ship, but that was fine. At least they had enough food to eat, and that alone boosted morale.

Rade and Shaw visited the twins each day, once in the morning, and for a few hours each night. The infants were growing well, and had packed on another half a pound each since the voyage began. They remained asleep in the incubators, though during the visits Rade occasionally caught one of them kicking a leg or flexing an arm, as an adult would do in a dream. Small phototherapy masks covered their eyes, so they could hardly open their lids, but motion and sound sensors would alert the nursing robots when the babies finally awakened.

Fret came to the bridge late one morning and tossed a lifeless Artificial body on Bender’s station. It was a naked female, its breasts flopping about. The skin was crusty and falling away in places. Hardened milky drops scabbed the vaginal area.

“Look what I found locked away in one of the storage closets,” Fret said. “A skin musician. Just for you.”

“Eww,” Bender said. “Nothing worse than a used skin musician. Get that out of my face.”

“What, you don’t want to have sex with it?” Fret mocked.

“Uh, my hand is just fine, thank you,” Bender said. “But feel free.”

Shaw glanced at Rade mischievously. “Maybe we can have a threesome.”

Rade chuckled. It was good to see her sense of humor returning. “Get it off the bridge, Fret.”

“Hmm, maybe I’ll try it out myself,” Fret said.

Bender shook his head. “Man, that bitch is disgusting.”

“Who, Fret or the skin musician?” Manic said.

“Both,” Bender replied.

Surus continued her analysis of the micro robots in a makeshift lab she had set up in one of the hangar bays. So far she had yet to discover anything more of note, but she was trying to put together a quantum Slipstream antenna to interfere with the swarm’s communications.

“It’s tricky,” Surus explained, “because I have to base my frequency modulations on the quantum Slipstream signatures I recorded during the attack... seeing as I can’t find a way to activate the heat-damaged sample robots I collected.”

“It’s probably a good thing you can’t activate them,” Rade said. “I’m not all that keen on having the Molotok converted into a fresh swarm while we’re aboard.”

“I see your point,” Surus said.

“Are the 3D printers aboard good enough for you to construct your antenna?” Rade asked.

“I think so,” Surus said. “Some of the parts will require repeated printings until I can get the precision I desire, and I might have to employ a surgical laser to fine-tune a few of the components, but otherwise, it should be sufficient.”

“Well, let me know when you have something,” Rade said.

THE MOLOTOK REACHED the Gate. There were no Russian customs vessels on this side, so the corsair passed through without issue.

When they emerged into the other system, two menacing Russian corvettes awaited. The long, sleek ships had about twice the armaments of the corsair, with several laser turrets lining either wing.

Rade had Surus handle the communication, at her request, just as she had dealt with all of the previous Russian officials. Once she sent over the appropriate bribe, the Russians gave the order for them to proceed. The officials didn’t even bother to scan their cargo holds. Not that they would have found anything.

“Lui, do we have a bead on the Argonaut yet?” Rade asked.

“I’ve picked up its thermal signature,” Lui said. “It seems to be heading toward a trading port in orbit around the fifth terrestrial planet. They’re still roughly three days ahead of us.”

“Do we inform the station of the potential threat posed by the Argonaut?” Fret asked.

“Even if anyone believed us, which is doubtful,” Rade said, “we’ll only cause more harm than good. The station isn’t equipped to deal with Phants. If a security team attempts to arrest Corunna or Alton, who could say what damage the Phants might do?”

“How do we know they’re not planning on causing damage already?” Fret said. “If they unleash the robot swarm aboard...”

Rade shook his head. “If they release the swarm, then there’s nothing we can do for the station inhabitants anyway. We hold our tongues.”

“Wait,” Tahoe said. “How do we know the Phants haven’t transferred to these two customs ships by seeping into their hulls, like we suspected they might have done at the last station?”

“Surus, how close would we have to get to these two corvettes to ensure no Phants are aboard?” Rade said.

“Given the armor of these corvettes,” Surus said. “For me to make that determination, you’d have to fly within two kilometers of each of them.”

“Wouldn’t that piss them off?” Manic said.

“Shaw,” Rade said. “I’ll need you to pull off some fancy flying here.”

“I should be able to fly underneath the two of them,” Shaw said. “I’m plotting a course. Two kilometers isn’t that bad, you know. If you were asking for five hundred meters, well that would be another thing entirely.”

“All right,” Rade said. “Engage when ready.”

As Shaw brought the Molotok toward the vessels, Fret reported: “The Russians want to know what we’re doing.”

“Tell them we’re having issues with our lateral thrusters,” Rade said.

“Their Vipers are charging,” Manic announced. “Should we charge ours?”

“That’s a negative,” Rade said. “Come on, Shaw...”

“I can confirm there are no Phants aboard the first corvette,” Surus said.

On the tactical map, Rade watched as Shaw pulled away from underneath the aforementioned corvette. 

“The second corvette is putting some distance between itself and the Molotok,” Lui announced. “I think they’re getting ready to fire missiles.”

“Shaw...” Rade said.

“I’m adjusting course to compensate,” Shaw said.

Rade watched as Shaw accelerated to bring the Molotok underneath the second customs craft.

“There are no Phants aboard the second corvette,” Surus said.

“Shaw, pull away,” Rade said. “Set a course for the Argonaut. Fret, tell the Russians we’ve fixed our thrust problems.”

“I’ve told them,” Fret said. “Um, they want us to stop. They intend to detain us.”

Rade tapped in Surus. “Handle it. Meanwhile, Shaw, issue countering thrust and bring us to a stop. Let’s not provoke them any further.”

The two corvettes approached menacingly. Several minutes passed, then finally they turned away, returning to the Gate.

“I managed to convince them to stand down,” Surus said. “After apologizing profusely.”

“The apology involved quite a high bribe, I’m sure,” Rade said.

“More than I’ve ever paid before,” Surus agreed.

The Molotok continued on its way. The triple star system produced a moderate amount of radiation, but the hull of the corsair held up. Lui recommended that they all dose with anti-rads nonetheless.

“Is dosing safe for the twins?” Shaw asked.

“You’ll have to get the Weaver’s opinion,” Lui said. “But I believe so.”

The Weaver confirmed that anti-rad treatment was fine, however it suggested a low dosage, given the position of the sickbay in relation to the hull—the compartment was near the center of the ship, and well protected from external radiation. Rade agreed.

In half a day’s time, the stolen Argonaut reached the trading port in orbit around the fifth terrestrial planet, and apparently docked. Shortly thereafter, Fret reported that the station had ceased all communications.

“Maybe we should have warned them after all,” Tahoe said.

“Maybe, but it’s too late now,” Rade said. “Lui, what do we know about that station?”

“It’s a free port,” Lui said with a shrug. “Named Vladivostok. It’s got a tonne of warehouses and holding bays. Plus several lounges and food courts. And even a flesh parlor.”

“My kind of station!” Bender said.

“Yeah,” Lui continued. “It’s essentially the perfect environment for merchants to meet and barter. And, judging by the number of ships currently docked, it’s definitely a well-trafficked station.”

“What kind of ships are we talking?” Rade asked.

“Mostly merchant classes, and their mercenary escorts,” Lui answered.

“Fret, are you able to contact any of the docked vessels?” Rade said.

“I sent out a general hail shortly after the station stopped responding,” Fret said. “Asking any of the ships in the vicinity of Vladivostok station to respond. So far, even accounting for the time delay, I haven’t heard anything back. It’s like all the ship AIs went offline.”

“Shaw,” Rade said, “after we recovered you, you mentioned that you instructed Ulysses to launch all missiles and short out the laser turrets.”

“That’s right,” Shaw said. “I told Ulysses to do that if he was about to lose control of engineering. And considering that he was one of the robots I recovered after I was spaced, I assume he did just that before he was shot and jettisoned.”

“So if Corunna and Alton intended to swap ships to get back some weapons, they’d certainly have their pick at that free port,” Tahoe said.

“Though it’s strange they’d disable all of them,” Rade told him.

“Unless they wanted to stay aboard the station for a little while, until they decided precisely what starship they wanted,” Tahoe said. “Presumably they’d pick one with a working laser system and fully-stocked missile inventory.”

“Maybe the Phants need equipment,” Lui said.

“What do you mean?” Tahoe asked.

“To build their robot swarm,” Lui said. “Maybe the 3D printers aboard the Argonaut weren’t good enough. So they needed something better, something belonging to a company aboard that station.”

“Could be,” Tahoe agreed.

“There are no other objects in orbit?” Rade asked. “Defense platforms?”

“There are a few observational satellites,” Lui said. “But no defense platforms per se. Vladivostok station has its own defenses, of course. But as far as I can tell, they’ve never been fired.”

“No defense platforms...” Rade said. “I’m guessing the planet isn’t anything to get excited over?”

“It’s your typical uninhabitable rock ball,” Lui said. “Like ninety nine point nine nine percent of the planets in our universe. The atmosphere is unbreathable. It has no magnetosphere. No life signs. However, this is in stark contrast to the nearby moon.”

“Moon?” Rade said.

“Yes,” Lui said. “The planet has a moon. It’s been terraformed, to a degree. The atmosphere is breathable, and the surface is covered in vegetation. However, they’ve had to install a grid of satellites in orbit to generate the necessary magnetosphere to protect the surface, and they’ve also installed mirrors to reflect most of the light from the three stars. And I said a ‘degree’ of terraforming because the atmosphere is still leaking oxygen, and the Forma pipes they’ve drilled into the surface have to continually pump. They’ll run out of oxygen someday and then the fragile ecosystem they’ve created will go bye-bye. There’s a population of five million clustered in the moon’s only colony on the northern hemisphere.”

“How far away is the moon from the planet?” Rade asked.

“It orbits half a million kilometers away,” Lui said.

“You’re thinking the Phants might go there next?” Shaw said. “Before we arrive? Or even after?”

“To escape us, it’s possible they might,” Rade said. “Two Phants would be very hard to find in a colony of that size. We could be searching there for months, if not years.” He thrummed his armrest. “All right, it’s time to tell the colonists what they’re up against.” He tapped in Surus. “I need you to get in touch with the governor of the moon. Tell him who you are, and do whatever it takes to prove it. Inform him of the Phant threat, and tell him to be prepared to defend his colony. Also instruct him not to launch any personnel to investigate why communications have stopped at the station.”

“Probably a good idea,” Surus said. “I’ll get on it. By the way, I’ve finished my prototype of the quantum Slipstream antenna. Now I just need some live swarm members to test it against. After I’m done communicating with the governor, I would like to retrofit the antenna to the telemetry drone. With your permission, I will link it to the on-board comm node, which will allow me to control the antenna remotely.”

“So essentially, it sounds like you’re hoping the Phants will use their swarm weapon against us while we’re still aboard the Molotok,” Rade said.

“I’m not hoping at all,” Surus replied. “I’m merely preparing for the inevitable. When we approach that base, as far as we know, they could launch the swarm at our ship at any time. At least we’ll have something to potentially defend ourselves with.”

“A modified telemetry drone,” Rade said dryly. “Equipped with an antenna you’ve never tested.”

“I have tested it,” Surus said. “Just not against a working swarm robot. Obviously I’ll need to further refine it after deployment, but I’ve baked in enough controls to allow for this.”

“All right, permission granted,” Rade said. “How long will it take to integrate your antenna with the drone’s tech?”

“A few days,” Surus said.

“We reach the station in under three days,” Rade said.

“Then I certainly have my work cut out for me, don’t I?” Surus said.

twenty-three

It took two and half days to reach free port Vladivostok.

The large station was vaguely hourglass shaped, its surface lit by various white lights that fanned their illumination across the gray hull. It was the kind of spaceport that allowed starships to dock directly, via the spindle of large, reinforced entry tubes protruding from the central hub. The Argonaut was one of those vessels; via the Molotok’s nose camera, Rade saw that it had joined an external airlock to one of those docking tubes via its magnetic mounting brackets.

“Anything from the station?” Rade asked his comm man.

“No,” Fret said. “Not even the docking subsystems are responding. I’m guessing once we attach, we’re going to have to manually cut our way inside.”

“Bring us in,” Rade told Shaw.

With the help of the AI, Shaw positioned the Molotok next to one of the unoccupied entry tubes. She chose a tube that had enough clearance on either side of it for the corsair, and once the standard-sized airlock was in place, she activated the magnetic mounting brackets. Rade could hear the hull groaning even from the bridge while the mounts secured, as the framework of the ship strained against the reinforced entry tubes. When the exchange of centrifugal forces became balanced once more, the moaning ceased.

“The Phants are here,” Surus announced.

“Why haven’t they fled by now?” Manic asked.

“They want us here, obviously,” Tahoe said. “It has to be a trap of some kind.”

“Either that, or they haven’t finished what they came to do,” Rade said. “And don’t particularly regard us as a threat. After what happened on that lava planet, I don’t blame them. Lui, is the external airlock responding to our entry requests?”

“No,” Lui said. “As Fret mentioned, we’ll either have to cut our way inside, or have TJ hack in.”

Rade tapped in TJ, who was in engineering. “TJ, have a look at the airlock. See if you can get us inside.”

“I’ll get on it,” TJ replied.

“In the meantime,” Rade said. “Let’s try out some of the new HS3s we printed up. Bender, get them down to the airlock, along with the Centurions. I want a boarding party ready.”

“You got it,” Bender said.

“Make sure the Centurions wear the anti-Phant jumpsuits Tahoe prepared,” Rade said. Since they had lost those jumpsuits with the Argonaut, for the past few days Tahoe had worked from the blueprints Surus had given him, and employed the 3D printers to create the necessary EM emitters for the spare jumpsuits they had aboard the Molotok. When the combat robots wore them, they would have the same protection as the humans: Rade didn’t want his Centurions getting possessed in the middle of the operation. Tahoe had attached similar devices to Mikhail’s AI core.

Incidentally, Tahoe had also printed up an extra couple of emitters and attached them to the incubators. Those remained inactive for the past few days, since Rade hadn’t wanted to expose his children to unnecessary radiation, but now that they had docked, he gave the order for Mikhail to activate them. The last thing he needed was the Phants seeping aboard in secret, and then killing his children.

Rade tapped in Surus. “I don’t suppose you feel like giving up your stun rifle?”

Surus had only the one stun rifle. She didn’t have the necessary raw materials aboard to 3D print a new one. And unfortunately, she hadn’t been able to buy the particular elements she needed aboard the pleasure station.

“I’d rather not,” Surus said. “I’m willing to enter with the scouts, if you want me to.”

“No,” Rade said. “You’ll go inside with us. Keep your weapon. Get suited up and meet us at the airlock.”

Rade turned to his bridge crew. “Well team, time to gear up.” He forwarded the message on to those members who weren’t on the bridge.

The Argonauts began to file out.

“Are we going to use Hoplites?” Fret asked hopefully.

“While they’ll certainly fit the station’s concourse,” Rade said. “I don’t think we can get them into the entry tubes.”

“There have to be cargo holds we can use to get inside,” Fret said. “We launch from our hangar bay, make our way to the station cargo hold, and cut inside.”

Rade shook his head. “We go with jumpsuits, for now. The Hoplites will be too unwieldy in the confines of the station.”

He paused when he saw Shaw remaining seated at her station. “You’re not coming?”

She shook her head.

“Are you sure?” Rade asked. “After what happened aboard the Argonaut...”

“I’m sure,” Shaw said.

“But I can have Mikhail keep watch,” Rade pressed.

“Are you really going to trust the safety of your children to an AI we’ve only known a few days?” Shaw asked.

“No, probably not,” Rade said. “How many combat robots do you want me to leave aboard?”

“I’d say two should be more than enough,” Shaw replied.

“I’ll have Cora and Ulysses remain aboard. I’ll place the former unit near the entry airlock, and the latter in sickbay.”

“That works for me,” Shaw said.

Rade gave the orders to the robots, then returned his attention to Shaw. “One thing: not that I’m complaining, but I thought you said having children wouldn’t stop you from joining me on missions.”

“Guess I didn’t realize how much Alex and Sil would mean to me,” Shaw said. “The mothering instinct... it’s hard to deny. I probably won’t be going on missions with you for a while. At least until they’re older.”

Rade grinned. “When they’re old enough to go on missions with us together!”

Shaw’s face fell. “Oh no. Don’t even joke about that.”

Rade became serious. “Sorry. Yeah, don’t think we’ll be taking them on missions any time soon. If ever.”

“Good.” She stood up slightly to wrap her arms around his neck and give him a peck on the lips.

“Have to go,” Rade said.

She pouted when he pushed her away. “Be careful down there.”

“Always am,” Rade said.

“Was that sarcasm in your voice?” Shaw asked.

“If there was, it’s only because you’re putting it there,” Rade said.

He hurried down to the hangar bay to change. The Argonauts had loaded their original jumpsuits into the storage lockers there.

As Rade and the others donned the suits, Bender and Manic got up to their usual shenanigans.

“Hey Bender,” Manic said. “Knock knock.”

Bender ignored him.

“Bender,” Manic pressed.

“What!” Bender said.

“Knock knock.”

“Don’t do it,” Lui warned.

Bender grabbed his jumpsuit leg assembly and started to put it on.

“Knock knock,” Manic said again.

Bender slammed the unworn leg assembly to the deck. “Who the eff is there?”

“Orange,” Manic said.

“Don’t do it,” Lui repeated.

Bender frowned.

“Orange,” Manic said, his eyes widening in excitement. “Orange.”

Lui shook his head. “This isn’t going to end well.”

“Orange who?” Bender said.

“Orange you glad I did your sister in the ass!” Manic replied.

“You piece of—” Bender hurled himself at Manic.

But Rade was ready and intercepted him before he could touch Manic. Tahoe meanwhile had positioned himself in front of Manic.

“Calm down,” Rade said. “They’re just words. Sticks and stones...”

Bender breathed rapidly for several moments, his eyes focused on Manic with absolute intensity. He was like an animal.

Bender finally seemed to realize that Rade was restraining him and his muscles relaxed. “Sorry boss. Bitch knows how to get under my skin.”

“Only because you let him,” Rade said. “Next time he brings up your sister, just laugh along with him.”

Bender returned to his locker and continued dressing. “My sister’s ass.” He stared at Manic and forced a laugh. “My sister’s ass.” He managed an even harder laugh. “My sister’s pussy!” He erupted in a chortle that almost seemed real.

“That’s right!” Manic was laughing along with him. “Your sister’s sweet sweet pussy. Munch munch munch. Mine all mine.”

Bender leaped onto Manic once more and Rade and Tahoe had to pull them apart.

“Maybe it was a bad idea for you to recommend he laugh along with him,” Tahoe suggested.

“Probably,” Rade agreed. 

When they arrived at the airlock, the Centurions were already suited up and in place, waiting with the HS3s by the Molotok’s airlock. Surus was there as well, along with TJ, both fully suited.

“TJ, I need an update,” Rade sent.

“I’m having a bit of trouble hacking into the station’s airlock remotely,” TJ said. “I could try a direct connection, but honestly it’s probably better to cut inside. A few plasma rifles will get the job done in about two minutes.”

Rade glanced at his Argonauts. “Faceplates closed.” He shut his helmet faceplate, as did the others. “Mikhail, open our side of the airlock.” The inner and outer hatches of the Molotok opened, revealing another set of hatches beyond. “Algorithm, Brat: use your plasma rifles to cut through.”

Those were the only two equipped with plasma rifles. The rest of the robots had been disarmed before Alton and Corunna had thrown them into the void; they were currently equipped with laser rifles, which Tahoe had picked up from a black market weapons dealer at the pleasure station.

When the two robots were inside the airlock, Rade had the Molotok’s inner hatch sealed.

“We’re through,” Algorithm reported shortly. “The atmosphere is stable. No sign of any contagions. Artificial gravity appears to be intact.”

Rade switched to Algorithm’s external video feed. He saw a long, tight corridor extending away from the airlock.

“We won’t be taking our Hoplites in there,” Fret said.

“No, we won’t,” Rade agreed. He dismissed the video feed. “Mikhail, regulate the airlock. Seal both hatches, then open the inner first, wait until the scouts enter, then seal it and evacuate the compartment before opening the outer hatch. I don’t want to risk the spread of contagions, even if Algorithm reported no sign of any.”

“Understood,” Mikhail said.

“TJ,” Rade continued, “send in the HS3s, followed by the Centurions. Let’s get this place scouted.”

Mikhail regulated the hatches as requested.

The HS3s, currently residing on the deck, powered on, rotors whirring, and flew inside. The robots entered after them. The outer hatch closed, and then the inner opened: the scouts tore past Algorithm and Brat into the corridor beyond. The rest of the robots followed twenty meters behind.

As the Argonauts waited next to the airlock, Bender looked at Harlequin, and the Artificial gave him a quizzical expression from behind the helmet faceplate.

“Shut your mouth AI,” Bender told Harlequin. “Before I use it as a punching bag.”

“But I didn’t say anything,” Harlequin said.

“But you were going to, and that’s the same thing in my book,” Bender said. He spoke his next words in a high pitched fashion. “I didn’t say anything. Whiny bitch.”

“I’d like to see this book of yours,” Manic said. “Full of Benderisms. I’m sure I’d be enlightened.”

“Dude, you have no idea,” Bender said.

Bender was staring at Harlequin. The latter’s mouth opened, and Bender shot up a gloved finger. “Ah! Ah! Open that mouth, it becomes my punching bag!”

Harlequin frowned. Then he spoke anyway: “I’m afraid if you did that, you’d damage your hand.”

“What!” Bender said. “Don’t talk back to me, AI.”

“I don’t understand,” Harlequin said. “That is what a conversation is about. You say something, I speak back in return. I’m merely trying to prevent you from injuring yourself.”

“That’s it! Open up your faceplate. Open it!” Bender removed his glove.

“Bender...” Rade said.

“It’s all right, boss,” Harlequin said. He opened his faceplate.

Bender punched the Artificial in the mouth. A loud, metallic clang echoed through the passageway. Bender’s face contorted in agony. He pulled his hand away, and shook it up and down a few times, obviously in pain. Harlequin, meanwhile, appeared undamaged.

“Ah, bad idea,” Bender said. “Bad idea.”

“Nicely done,” Manic said. “Disable yourself before a mission.”

Bender stiffened, and replaced his expression with a mask of calm. “Nope, used my left hand.” He casually replaced the glove, flinching slightly.

“Bro, you’re off the rails,” Lui said.

Bender flashed that golden grille of his. “Never claimed to be on the rails in the first place.”

Rade shook his head and glared at Harlequin.

“What?” Harlequin said. “I told him not to do it.”

“And yet you opened your helmet,” Rade said.

“I didn’t want him to break the faceplate,” Harlequin said.

“The HS3s have reached the hatch to the concourse,” TJ announced. “It won’t open.”

“Send the Centurions forward to cut through,” Rade said.

twenty-four

In moments the HS3s emerged into the fourth level of a seven level concourse. The middle area was open, with narrow walkways from each floor forming spindles that led to an elevator shaft running the length of the station. More walkways surrounded the rim of each floor, protected by glass railings that overlooked the open area.

The outer walls of the fourth floor were lined with well-spaced exit hatches that sealed away the entry tubes leading to the other starships. Escalators placed between those hatches allowed access to the higher and lower floors.

Each level both above and below the fourth was successively wider than the last, matching the hourglass shape Rade had seen on the outside. Various shops and restaurants lay behind the railed-off walkways along the rim, catering to the space traveler. There were duty free stores, high end clothing shops, and robot accessory kiosks. The security doors and grilles had sealed all of them away from the concourse: though most of the shops likely didn’t have any real inventory, the owners still had to protect the raw materials and the 3D-print-on-demand tech used to create anything someone might buy.

“Welcome to Vaginostock station,” Bender said. “With the emphasis on the vagin.”

“Vladivostok,” Harlequin corrected.

“Shut up, AI bitch!” Bender said. “Bust up my hand, would you? You don’t get to speak.”

“Looks like the station residents had time to close up shop,” Manic commented.

“There are certain conditions where the grilles would close automatically,” Lui said. “Such as a breach scenario.”

“Doesn’t look breached at the moment,” Fret said.

“Could have been repaired,” Lui said.

“Remember, our enemy could be lying in wait anywhere,” Rade said. “Fan the HS3s out, TJ. Get that concourse explored. Also, I want the Centurions to proceed directly toward the entry tube where the Argonaut is docked. Best guess.”

Rade watched the concourse map fill out as LIDAR from the moving HS3s bounced from all the nooks and crannies. The blue dots representing the robots marched along the fourth floor walkway, passing the different exit hatches.

In a few moments Algorithm reported in: “I believe this is the hatch leading to the entry tube the Argonaut used. What we’ve mapped so far matches up with the location of the vessel. Should we cut our way inside?”

“Do it,” Rade said, switching to the Centurion’s viewpoint.

The robots assumed a defensive position around the opening, and then Algorithm and Brat fired their plasma weapons repeatedly, soon dissolving the hatch. The passageway beyond proved empty.

“Proceed to the Argonaut,” Rade said.

The robots entered the corridor in single file. They reached the station’s sealed hatch in fifty meters. 

“We’re at the hatch,” Algorithm said. “As expected, the station’s airlock isn’t responding. Nor is the Argonaut’s, for that matter. We can breach the outer hatch, but if we cut the inner, we risk damaging the Argonaut’s airlock. I am assuming that you’d rather we didn’t harm the Argonaut...”

“That would be a good assumption,” Rade said. “Open up your comm node to TJ and give him remote access so that he can attempt entry. He’s very familiar with the ship and its current patch and backdoor state.”

“Done,” Algorithm replied.

“I got this,” TJ said. “Hmm. The main AI appears to be online, but it’s refusing all my access codes. Apparently, the codes have been changed.”

“Not surprising,” Rade said.

“I’m going to have to pipe a few privilege escalation commands into the airlock subsystem,” TJ continued.

“Do what you need to do,” Rade said. “Get me my ship back. Bender, assume command of the HS3s and Centurions.”

“With pleasure,” Bender said.

“Try not to ejaculate,” Manic commented.

A few moments later Bender reported: “Check out what this HS3 found on deck five.”

Rade received a video feed request from Bender. He accepted, and the viewpoint of one of the HS3s filled his vision.

“What am I looking at?” Rade asked.

“That’s an emergency airlock,” Bender said. “You see those dents along the surrounding bulkheads, and the scrapes on the deck in front of the hatch?”

Rade nodded. “It’s the kind of thing you’d expect to see if an airlock suddenly opened, explosively decompressing the inner environment, with objects battering the surrounding surfaces before being sucked out. Furniture. People.”

“Other emergency airlocks on different floors have similar dents and scrapes,” Bender said.

“I see now why the security grilles closed,” Lui said.

“Uh huh,” Bender said. “My guess is the Phant bitches assumed control of the station AI and opened the airlocks, spacing everyone. Then they closed them and repressurized the station all nicely after.”

“Station AI cores aren’t usually shielded against Phants, are they?” Manic asked.

“Some of them are,” Rade said. “Like most newer starship cores. However, seeing as we’re in Russian space, it’s likely none of the stations have the shielding. The core would have been exposed to the Phants, ready for them to assume control.”

“That would explain why the station stopped communicating so soon after the Argonaut arrived,” Tahoe said. “If there were any survivors, it would have been a relatively simple matter for the Phants to seep into the sealed shops and incinerate them.”

“What about any Artificials or robots they found?” Fret said.

“I’m sure the station has a trash compactor somewhere,” Tahoe said. “Or maybe we’ll find a few robots camped out aboard. With our luck, they’ll probably be trigger happy.”

“What about all the ships we lost contact with?” Fret said.

“The Phants must have moved methodically between the AI cores of the ships,” Lui said. “Since all the vessels are Russian, they would have been unshielded. Working as a team, the Phants could have probably taken them offline in under ten minutes.”

“Why didn’t the remaining ships send out a distress call of some kind during that time?” Fret said.

“Either they didn’t know what was going on, or the Phants had the station’s main AI core produce interference,” Lui said. “I’m just speculating of course.”

“I’ve broken into the airlock subsystem of the Argonaut,” TJ interrupted. “And opened up the hatch in question.”

“Algorithm, you’re good to burn through the remaining airlock,” Rade said. “Concentrate your fire on the central regions, and avoid damaging the bulkheads bordering the Argonaut’s airlock.”

“Not a problem,” Algorithm replied. A moment later: “We’re through. The Argonaut’s outer hatch is open.”

“TJ, regulate the hatches to let the robots inside,” Rade said. It probably wasn’t necessary to regulate the airlocks. If there was a contagion aboard the station, it would have likely seeped inside the Argonaut already—if it wasn’t sourced there. But he decided to stick with protocol.

The robots entered a moment later.

“The Argonaut passageway seems clear on the other side,” Algorithm said. “It’s a T intersection. Recommend sending a few HS3s through first.”

“Bender, divert a couple of HS3s inside,” Rade said. “Have the Centurions follow them.”

“Done,” Bender said. “By the way, the HS3s have explored all the levels with their LIDAR now. There’s nothing obvious out there. However, we got a bunch of sealed shops and shit on every level. Recommend we start cutting through some of them.”

“Shops and shit?” Manic said. “So like, you mean, fecal matter is dripping from the bulkheads?”

“No, bitch...” Bender said.

“I agree with Bender,” Rade said. “It’s time to start cutting into some of the security grilles. Team, we’re going out there. Algorithm, I’m recalling you from the Argonaut. Join us in the concourse. Cora, stay here and guard the opening as per our previous discussion. Alert me the instant you notice anything unusual.”

“I will,” Cora said. “And try not to get yourself killed, for Shaw’s sake.”

“Don’t intend to,” Rade said. “I’m a father now, haven’t you heard?”

“I have, to my sorrow,” Cora said.

“What’s wrong, not looking forward to running the nursery?” Rade said.

“It is a sorry fate,” Cora said. “I don’t suppose if I changed my voice to a male’s I would be able to avoid that duty?”

“Nope,” Rade said. “No duty shirkers around here.”

“Too bad. Maybe I’ll get lucky and be destroyed before then.”

Rade couldn’t tell if the robot was being ironic or not. He shrugged, and made a mental note to have a talk with TJ about tweaking the sarcasm settings.

Mikhail regulated the airlock, allowing the Argonauts to proceed into the tight corridor in single file. They soon emerged into the concourse. Algorithm was waiting there for them.

“All right, we take the escalator to the next floor,” Rade said.

The Argonauts proceeded up the escalator to deck five and formed a defensive formation at the top. Rade directed Algorithm to the closest restaurant. “Cut through the security wall.”

The Argonauts assumed an offensive half circle outside the restaurant as Algorithm fired the plasma rifle into the door. In moments the white hot metal melted away.

“Bender, I want an HS3 inside!” Rade said. “Lui, Algorithm, go!”

Lui and Algorithm followed the HS3 inside. Lui went high, Algorithm low.

“Clear!” Lui said.

Most of the remaining Argonauts filed in. Rade left Tahoe and TJ outside to guard the entrance.

A quick search of the kitchen area turned up nothing. This particular restaurant also had a back area containing an office and bedroom. Again, it was empty.

They cut through and cleared three more shops with a similar layout when Brat reported in from the Argonaut.

“We’ve swept the ship,” Brat replied. “It’s clear.”

“That was quick,” Rade said. “The breach seals were open?”

“They were,” Brat confirmed. “And most doors we encountered were already cut open. For the few that remained intact, we injected the escalation code TJ sent us to get through quickly.”

“Were you able to regain control of the AI?” Rade asked.

“Negative,” Brat said. “Like Shaw mentioned, the security chip hidden underneath the panel is missing. We’ve rebooted a few times to inject code, but it’s going to take us some time. If TJ wants to lend us a hand, we could certainly use it.”

“TJ,” Rade said. “Get aboard the Argonaut and help the Centurions.”

“Bene,” TJ said. “Will do.”

The remaining Argonauts moved from shop to shop, continuing to clear the station. Rade spotted several security camera domes along the way—in the shops and along the walkways outside—and he knew his team was being watched, either by the unresponsive station AI, or more likely, the Phants. But there was nothing he could do about it.

The team finished exploring deck five and moved onto number six.

The Argonauts were in the process of clearing a dorm area, sweeping through the rooms individually, when TJ reported in.

“I have Bax in our control once more,” TJ said. “I used the backup security chip on my person to reboot it, and voila. Our Phant friends apparently installed some software patches since taking over. Anyway, I returned the system to an earlier save point and restored all former accesses. Your old command codes and voiceprint should be in place.”

“Good. I’ll give it a try.” Rade tapped in the Argonaut’s AI. “Bax, do you read?”

“Hello, boss,” Bax replied.

“It’s good to have you back,” Rade said.

“I didn’t know I was gone,” Bax said.

“No, you wouldn’t, would you?” Rade said. “Tell me, what’s the status on the weapons systems?”

“The missile inventory is currently zero,” Bax replied. “But the Vipers are fully operational.”

“The Phants must have effected repairs on the Vipers,” Lui said. “Either that, or Ulysses never successfully shorted them out.”

“By the way,” TJ sent. “I also double-checked that the physical anti-Phant countermeasures were still in place around the AI core. So our prey isn’t hiding there.”

“You still sense the enemy, Surus?” Rade asked.

“I do.” She hefted her stun rifle. “With the same intensity as before.”

“As an aside,” TJ added. “There are no backup stun rifles aboard. It seems the Phants have gotten rid of them. Or perhaps taken them, maybe hoping to stun Surus.”

“Something to watch for,” Rade said. “Leave a couple of robots aboard, TJ: one guarding engineering, the other the entry hatch. And proceed to secure the remaining ships.”

“There are a lot of ships docked here,” TJ said. “That could take quite some time.”

“Then you better get started,” Rade said. “We’ll join you once we finish sweeping the station. Which will also be a little while.” He tapped in Electron, who resided aboard the Molotok with the other Hoplites. “Electron, I want you to transfer all of the Hoplites, including yourself, to the Argonaut. Open the hangar bay doors, then spacewalk or jet across. I don’t care how you do it, as long as you don’t waste too much jumpjet fuel. Your old access codes to the Argonaut should work, but if you have trouble, tap in TJ.”

“Understood,” Electron replied. “I’ll have the Hoplites begin the transfer process immediately.”

“Thank you.”

“Should we get Shaw and the twins to switch over to the Argonaut as well?” Tahoe asked.

“No,” Rade said. “I’d rather she stayed aboard the Molotok for now. We have two ships, we might as well use them. Besides, I’m not entirely convinced we don’t have a Phant hiding inside a bulkhead aboard the Argonaut somewhere, waiting for us to lower our guard.”

“What if the EM emitters attached to the incubators aren’t powerful enough to protect the twins!” Shaw said over the comm suddenly.

“Shaw, calm down,” Rade said. “They’re powerful enough. Shaw?”

But she didn’t answer.

“Damn it.” Rade accessed her Implant video feed, and saw that she was racing through the corridors of the Molotok, heading toward sickbay.

When she reached the compartment, she sighed audibly. “I’m bringing the incubators to the bridge.”

“Go ahead,” Rade said.  

She carefully scooped them up in each hand, and carried them like large baskets.

Rade dismissed her feed and concentrated on sweeping the dorm rooms with his Argonauts once more.

The next few hours passed without incident. Clearing the station proved for the most part a relatively quiet, monotonous affair, punctuated by those initial moments of intensity when the team first broke through a new security door.

And then they made a discovery.

twenty-five

Rade and the others had just broken through a security door into what at first appeared to be an office of some sort. As they proceeded deeper into the space, and the offices gave way to lab areas, it became clear that it was a robotics research laboratory. Shelves were lined with spare robot parts and limbs. Tables and counters in the center of the room had partially finished Centurions and Artificials lying on them. Accordion-like hydraulic conduits, most supporting robotic arms, descended from the ceiling; however one of those conduits ended in metal hips topping a pair of steel legs on a treadmill.

“Well that’s not eerie as hell or anything,” Fret commented on the disembodied legs. He kept his rifle raised and at the ready.

“What is this place?” Manic asked.

Harlequin answered. “A research lab for Nova Dynamics, the robotics conglomerate. They have satellite labs and offices throughout the galaxy, and use them to hire local talent for cheap: scientists and Artificials willing to work for half the price of their United Systems counterparts. And since office space is so inexpensive on stations like these...”

“So essentially, sweatshop labor,” Fret said.

“Maybe,” Lui said. “But it’s big industry. And brings in a lot of money for Nova and its shareholders.”

“Every one of these people they hire is another lost job for someone in the United Systems,” Tahoe said.

“Since when do you give a shit if a United Systems bitch gets a job?” Bender said. His rifle was glued to his faceplate as he swept the room, slowly stepping forward. “Lazy hoes are all on basic pay anyway. And by hoes, I mean both men and women and the genders in-between, in case the twits among you misunderstand.”

“Are you one of the in-betweeners?” Manic said.

“Yeah man,” Bender said. “I got a dick and a pussy.”

“I knew it!” Manic said. “Must be nice to have sex with yourself.”

“Way better than with my hand,” Bender said. He waved his arm at Fret suddenly. “Out of my way, you skinny bitch. You’re blocking my sight line.”

Fret moved aside as requested, but then said: “I may be skinny, but at least I don’t have small balls like you.”

“Small balls are awesome,” Bender said. “Can’t tell you how easy it makes wearing this tight undergarment, considering the massive size of my snake.”

“You’re the only one I know who’s happy to have small balls,” Fret said.

“See, that’s why you’re a bitch,” Bender said. “Try taking some test like the rest of us, and you’ll understand. You might get small balls, but your libido goes through the roof.” Test was short for testosterone, Bender’s gear of choice.

“Like I need a high libido when I’m stuck aboard a cramped starship full of men,” Fret said.

“Hey, in a pinch, there’s always the used skin musician you found...” Lui said.

“The hell is this?” Tahoe said from his position near the front of the group. He had stepped into an adjacent lab, an almost cavernous area containing three wide countertops. The HS3s hovered overhead. 

Rade joined him and saw torpedo shells sitting on the countertops. Their tips were open, revealing the empty warhead sections inside.

“Looks like someone repurposed the 3D printers to create something very unrobotlike,” Lui said.

Rade and the others slowly entered the new room and spread out. 

“Anyone want to hazard a guess at the kind of torpedoes they were creating?” Rade asked.

“Swarm torpedoes,” Tahoe said. “Filled to the brim with our self-replicating robot friends.”

“When the Greens decide to betray you, they really go full tilt, don’t they?” Rade glanced at Surus.

She shook her head. “If true, Corunna will pay. The Greens were ordered to cease interfering in Phant preparatory activities in this space. The edict from the Greens was very clear—we were to back off, and in no way aid the existing Phants.”

“But isn’t ordering you to stop hunting them the same thing as helping the Phants, though?” Fret said.

“It indirectly helps the Phants, I suppose,” Surus agreed. “But what we have here is a case of direct assistance. By all appearances, Corunna and Alton have teamed up to stage an attack. By aiding the Phant, she is directly violating the edict. I won’t feel so bad about throwing her into a sun now.”

“So they came here to create swarm missiles,” Manic said. “And presumably, to find a starship capable of using them.”

“TJ, how many more of the docked vessels do we have left to explore?” Rade sent the Italian.

“Five,” TJ replied. “I’m still working on cracking the entry codes of the latest.”

“Of those five, which ones are equipped with missile launch tubes?” Rade asked.

“Four of them are,” TJ said. “According to the schematics in the records.”

“How do we know a ship we’ve already cleared isn’t harboring the Phants?” Fret said. “Hiding inside the bulkheads, or something.”

“I somehow doubt they would let us aboard without a fight,” Tahoe said.

“I do as well,” Rade said. “And they certainly wouldn’t let TJ reboot the AI cores.”

“Uh, guys?” Shaw transmitted. “One of the remaining unexplored ships is breaking away from the station. It’s a Nablis class.”

Nablis class ships were higher end vessels, a step above Marauders, though one step below corvettes in terms of armaments and armor.

“They’ve just ignited their engines at full burn,” Shaw continued. She paused, then: “They’ve fired something at the station! It appears to be a missile of some kind.”

Rade and Tahoe exchanged a look.

“Swarm missile,” Tahoe said. 

“Retreat!” Rade said. “To the Argonaut! Shaw, you’re in command of the Molotok. Break away from the station and open fire. Destroy that missile if you can. If the Nablis ship launches a projectile at you, utilize the Vipers as point defenses and take cover behind the station. Do not, I repeat, do not let them strike the Molotok with a missile.”

“Will do,” Shaw replied over the comm. 

“You might want to get suited up as well,” Rade told her. “In case you need to evacuate the ship in a hurry.”

“Probably a good idea,” Shaw agreed.

“TJ, get aboard the Argonaut,” Rade said. “Bring the rest of the Centurions.”

“Already on my way,” TJ replied.

Rade and the others retreated into the concourse and raced toward the escalators.

The walkway shook and then Rade found himself sucked upward: the atmosphere was explosively decompressing. As the HS3s flew past him, Rade fired his jetpack, fighting the flow until he was close enough to grab on to a nearby railing.

He checked his overhead map and saw that all of his Argonauts, and the Centurions, had latched on to nearby objects. Only the HS3s were lost.

“We have impact,” Harlequin said over the comm.

“I see that!” Rade returned.

Furniture flew past, sourced from the breaches in the security walls that Rade and his team had made throughout the different levels.

The decompression ended a moment later and Rade landed on the deck as the artificial gravity reasserted itself. A couch crashed into the floor beside him. Rade glanced up, instinctively raising a hand to protect himself.

He saw the ceiling far overhead dissolving. Micro robots dropped inside, some of them landing around the party.

“Bitches!” Bender said. He fired repeatedly at the robots.

One of the micro robots landed on Fret, who swatted it away. Lui shot the thing a moment later. Having one or two of the things fall onto an Argonaut was one thing, but if the swarm were to envelope a jumpsuit, Rade knew that the occupant wouldn’t stand a chance.

“Go!” Rade said, racing toward the escalator.

Glancing upward once more, Rade saw more of the swarm flowing inside. They were feeding on the raw material of the station, using it to in turn create more robots.

“Come on you robot dust bunnies!” Bender said as he ran. He was firing up at the overhead, knocking out clumps of them. “I ain’t afraid of you bitches!”

“Bender, careful!” Rade said as a clump of loosened robots landed next to the fifth floor walkway beside him. The robots scurried across the deck to intercept the Argonauts, who either kicked them aside or shot them. Well, most of the squad: Bender pounced on any that got in his way, grinding them underneath his boots.

“Die little bitches!” Bender said.

“Shaw, update me!” Rade said.

“I got a few Viper shots in,” Shaw said. “But wasn’t able to stop that missile. I concentrated on the ship next... fired more Vipers, launched a couple of Hellfires. The Nablis vessel unleashed another projectile at the Molotok in turn, forcing me to take cover behind the station.”

The deck shook.

Rade glanced to the side and saw that the far bulkhead of the concourse was now dissolving. “Looks like that projectile just hit the station.” More of the robot swarm streamed inside through the breach, skittering across all the nearby surfaces.

The team reached the fourth floor and raced toward the hatch that led to the Argonaut. It was getting fairly bad in that concourse, with the self-replicating micro robots constantly falling down from above. Overhead, the expanding swarm had eaten away the entire seventh floor, and were quickly devouring the sixth.

Rade and the others piled inside the entry tube and hurried the hundred meters to the Argonaut. They entered the airlock in rapid succession, forgoing the hatch regulation routine. The moment he was inside, Rade said: “Bax, shut the airlock when the last of us are in, then release the mounting clamps and break away from the station!”

“Yes, boss,” the Argonaut’s AI replied.

“Team, to the mech hangar bay!” Rade hurried through the passageway. A klaxon sounded, indicating that Bax had initiated battle stations. Rade glanced at the overhead map: the blue dots representing his team members and combat robots were all aboard. He placed the feed from the airlock external camera into the upper right of his vision, and saw that the ship was pulling away as ordered. He dismissed the video and continued running.

Rade hurried to the mech hangar bay, where the jumpsuit lockers were located. He had originally intended to strip off his jumpsuit, because he couldn’t really wear it on the cramped bridge—the chairs weren’t designed to fit the bulky suits. But then he decided he could command the Argonaut remotely from the hangar bay just as well. And it was safer that way, too, in case the ship was hit by one of those swarm missiles and the team had to evacuate quickly.

“Argonauts,” Rade said. “Keep your jumpsuits on. Access your stations remotely.”

All of the Hoplites had successfully transferred to the Argonaut from the Molotok, and resided in the bay. Rade sat down on the large foot of his mech, Electron, and pulled up the Argonaut’s tactical display. He saw that the Molotok was hiding behind what was left of the station and the vessels still docked to it. Meanwhile, the red dot of the Nablis Class ship seemed headed toward the populated moon.

Another red dot accelerated away from the enemy ship, indicating a projectile. It was rapidly approaching the Argonaut.

“Incoming...” Bax said.

“Bax, shoot down that object!” Rade said.

“I’ve struck it several times with the Vipers,” Bax said. “It’s not slowing. I don’t think it contains a traditional warhead.”

“Damn it,” Rade said. “Brace for impact.”

twenty-six

Rade watched on the tactical display as the red dot overlapped the ship. That dot winked out momentarily, and the deck shook.

“The forward hull has taken a breaching hit,” Bax announced. “Compression has been lost to decks four and five. Activating breach seals.” Bax paused. “Several of the seals appear to be damaged, but I’ve managed to close enough of them to prevent decompression of the entire ship.”

That would be Shaw’s doing, when she had to cut through the seals after Bax trapped her on the bridge. Apparently the Phants hadn’t engaged the repair swarm to fix them.

“Unfortunately,” Bax continued, “micro robots are swarming the exterior, and enlarging the breach. They’re reproducing... disintegrating the hull armor.”

“Looks like we’re going to have to evacuate in the Hoplites,” Tahoe said. “And make our way to the Molotok.”

“I’m not ready to give up on our ship just yet,” Rade said. “Surus, did you ever finish retrofitting the telemetry drone with the quantum Slipstream antenna?”

“Yes,” Surus replied. “But as I mentioned, it is untested, and may not work. I’ll have to adjust the control frequencies in realtime until I find something that hits.”

Rade tapped in Shaw. “I want you to launch the Molotok’s telemetry drone toward the Argonaut. Aim for the breach.”

“I’m going to have to leave the cover of the station,” Shaw said. “Okay, it’s done.”

“Surus, I’m transferring control of the drone over to you,” Rade said. “Meanwhile, Argonauts, proceed inside your mechs. Prepare for emergency evacuation. Centurions, join us in the mech hangar bay.”

Rade entered his own Hoplite and sealed the cockpit behind him. The inner actuators enveloped him, and the external camera piped the mech’s sight to his own.

He glanced at the tactical display that continued to overlay his vision and watched the telemetry drone come alongside the Argonaut.

The Centurions arrived a moment later, and boarded the passenger seats of different Hoplites.

“Ready to evacuate,” Tahoe said. In Shaw’s absence he had loaded into Nemesis, since he had no mech of his own.

“Wait,” Rade said. “I want to see if Surus can save the ship.”

The drone began to initiate a spiraling maneuver, repeatedly orbiting the forward breach section.

“What are you doing?” Rade said.

“Sweeping it over the hull section in rapid revolutions,” Surus said. “I’m cycling through the quantum Slipstream ‘frequencies’ at the same time. I’m hoping one of them will stick.”

Rade switched to the drone’s point of view to watch. The display was dizzying, so he quickly reduced the size and positioned it in the upper left of his vision. He saw the growing swarm of micro robots skittering along the hull just beside the breach region. Some of them shoved off the surface, and floated toward the telemetry drone.

“Um,” Bender said. “Surus, my main woman. You see those robots drifting toward the telemetry drone, right?”

“I see them...” Surus said.

Come on...

Nothing was happening. The micro robots continued to swarm. Rade glanced at the overhead map representation of the ship, and saw the growing number of red dots pouring through the breach area. In a few more moments, they would eat through to another deck. Rade accessed the camera in the hallway next to the breach. The micro robots were everywhere, crawling over all the surfaces, and devouring them.

Rade cycled the video back to the telemetry drone; one of the robots latched on to the drone’s hull as he observed. Then another.

“Now would be a good time, Surus,” Tahoe said.

“Almost,” Surus replied.

More and more robots landed on the spinning drone.

“Deck three has been breached,” Bax announced.

And then the micro robots on the Argonaut’s hull ceased moving all at once. They began to slowly drift away from the ship. They also floated from the drone itself.

Rade cycled to the hallway camera near the breach once more. All of the micro robots had dropped away from the partially eaten bulkheads and overhead. They lay motionless on the deck, on their carapaces, legs curled up on top of them.

“Well that’s a whole lot of dead robot bugs,” Bender said. “Just the way I like them.”

“You did it, Surus,” Rade said.

“Yes, only just in time,” Surus said. “They’ve damaged the propulsion system in the drone. Someone’s going to have to spacewalk out there and grab it.”

“Bender, go get it,” Rade said.

“Thanks boss!” Bender said.

Rade vented the hangar bay and opened the doors; Bender jetted outside.

“By the way, Surus, we should celebrate later,” Bender transmitted. “I’m going to cook you up some chicken breast in my stateroom.”

“No, you’re not,” Surus said.

“Fine,” Bender sent. “Then we can roast up a couple of those robot bugs. I’d eat one for you.”

“I’m sure you would,” Surus replied.

“Lui, what’s the range on the enemy ship?” Rade asked.

“They passed beyond the upper limit of Viper range a few minutes ago,” Lui said. “They’re still headed toward the populated moon.”

“Shaw, fire more of the Molotok’s missiles at them, would you?” Rade sent.

She didn’t answer.

“Shaw?” Rade tried again.

“Boss!” Lui said. “The Molotok!”

Rade switched to the starboard-facing external camera, which was aimed at the Molotok. The forward portion of the ship was coated in the robot swarm. That section seemed significantly smaller, and Rade guessed the robots had already disintegrated much of the underlying hull.

“Bender, hurry up out there!” Rade sent. “We need to get the telemetry drone to the Molotok!”

“He won’t retrieve it in time,” TJ said. “And even if he does, we certainly won’t have enough time to effect repairs.”

“What’s the range on the telemetry drone?” Rade asked Surus.

“We’ll have to bring it to within five hundred meters of the Molotok,” Surus said.

“Bax, how far away are we?” Rade asked.

“Currently fifty kilometers,” Bax replied.

“Bender, get that drone aboard!” Rade said. “We need to turn back.”

“We won’t make it in time,” Lui said. “Look.”

Rade saw more swarm blooms appearing on the surface of the Molotok. It was almost like the ship was being eaten from the inside out.

Shaw...

“I’m detecting two shuttles moving away from the vessel,” Bax said.

Rade tried to tap in the Dragonflies, which were flying side by side. “Shaw, do you read?”

“I’m here,” Shaw said. “I’m in a Dragonfly. The twins are aboard, in their incubators.”

Rade slumped in relief.

“I took your advice to heart,” Shaw continued, “and switched to a jumpsuit early on. I commanded the Molotok remotely from the hangar bay, and abandoned ship the moment I realized we were breached. I figured Mikhail could handle things from there. No need to put the twins under unnecessary risk.”

“What happened?” Rade sent.

“I drifted too close to the station,” Shaw replied. “I didn’t realize the micro robots were shoving off its hull and floating toward the Molotok. By the time I figured out what was happening, hundreds had touched down. Scattered all over the hull.”

That they were scattered at different places along the hull explained the sudden swarm blooms Rade had seen appear on the surface, indicating spots where the robots were multiplying.

“Mikhail,” Rade sent. “Do you read? We’re going to recover the drone and send it your way.”

“I appreciate the valiant effort,” Mikhail replied over the comm. “Unfortunately, some of the swarm has already made it to the bridge. The armor of my AI core is under attack. I’m afraid this will be the last message I ever send. It was a privilege to serve you, in the short time that I could.”

The AI disconnected.

Rade watched on the external camera as the ship was enveloped entirely by the swarm.

Bender returned with the drone a moment later. “Here you go, bitches.”

No one answered him.

“What?” Bender said.

“Take a look at the Molotok,” Harlequin said.

“Oh,” Bender said a moment later. “That’s... shitty.”

Surus advanced her mech, Sprint, toward the telemetry drone, and picked off a couple of the micro robots that yet clung to its hull.

“These will make fine specimens for later examination,” she said.

“Bax, what’s the status on the enemy vessel?” Rade asked.

“No change,” the Argonaut’s AI returned. “The Nablis class ship remains out of range of our Vipers, and continues to head toward the populated moon.”

“How long until they reach it?” Rade asked.

“Forty-five minutes,” Bax replied.

“Alert the authorities of what has happened here,” Rade instructed the AI. “Although I’m sure they’ve witnessed the destruction on their long range sensors by now. Tell them they’ll have to defend themselves at all cost.”

“I’m sending the message now,” Bax said.

Rade steered the external camera toward the seething remains of the station and those ships still docked to it.

“Let’s hope the swarm can’t form anything capable of interplanetary travel,” Tahoe said.

“Doubtful,” Lui said. “They’d need to create propellant. And I doubt they’re equipped to gather it from the ships that were docked to the station. But there would probably be nothing stopping them from forming a particle beam weapon, similar to the one they attacked us with on the lava planet.”

“Harlequin, teach Bax what the particle beam weapons look like,” Rade said. “And then have him fire the Vipers at any formations on that mass of robots that even remotely resemble the start of a particle turret.”

“Will do,” Harlequin replied.

“Centurions,” Rade told the combat robots. “Climb down from the mechs. I want you to determine the extent of the breach damage. Bax, dispatch the repair drones.”

“Unfortunately, there are not enough raw materials aboard for repairs,” Bax said.

Well that explained why the Phants hadn’t previously repaired the breach seals.

“Algorithm, with me,” Rade said. He abandoned Electron and proceeded through the airlock into the ship proper. Algorithm joined him.

Shaw docked the Dragonflies in the second hangar bay shortly thereafter. Rade was waiting to give Shaw a hug when she emerged. He glanced at the incubators she held like baskets on either side of her. The twins seemed oblivious inside.

“I’m bringing them to sickbay,” Shaw said.

Rade nodded and let her go. “Get aboard Shuttle A,” Rade instructed Algorithm. “Bender, I want you to place the telemetry drone outside once more.”

“You got it,” Bender replied.

Rade turned to Algorithm. “Once you’re out there, magnetically attach the shuttle to the telemetry drone. Coordinate with Surus, and knock out the rest of those robots out there.”

“Understood,” Algorithm said. 

While Rade could have allowed the shuttle’s AI to pilot the craft, he preferred having someone aboard. If there was a problem with the telemetry drone, Algorithm could potentially go outside and fix it.

Rade returned to the mech hangar bay, where the other Argonauts were waiting. He had a feeling he would be deploying the Hoplites soon.

“Bax, update me,” Rade said.

“The swarms composing the station, its ships, and the Molotok have joined together to form a single mass,” Bax replied. “I’ve been firing repeatedly at that mass, targeting any formations that appear to be the beginning of weapons. Meanwhile, Shuttle A has attached to the telemetry drone, and is proceeding toward the combined swarm.”

Rade glanced at the tactical map, and saw red lines occasionally appear on the display, indicating fired Vipers. The blue dot of Shuttle A was slowly approaching the robot mass. When it was within five hundred meters, it came to a halt. Then it began flying in the same spiral formation as before.

“What’s the point of the spiraling?” Rade asked.

“I’m trying to determine the control center,” Surus said.

“I see...” Rade said, but he didn’t. He supposed it was best to keep his mouth shut and let Surus work.

Brat contacted Rade from one of the breached decks. “It’s a mess here. And as Bax mentioned, there aren’t enough raw materials to repair the hull breach until we return to dry dock. Unless we can melt down these micro robots...”

“Keep me posted,” Rade said.

A moment later Surus reported: “The swarm has been disabled.”

Rade examined the external video feed. The black mass had stopped seething, and the millions of constituent robots drifted lifelessly apart.

“Good job,” Rade told her. “Bax, recall the shuttle. As soon as the Dragonfly docks, I want you to initiate a pursuit course with the enemy.”

“Yes, boss,” the Argonaut’s AI replied.

“What are we supposed to do in the meantime?” Bender said. “Hang around uselessly inside our mechs? Dick in hand?”

“Pretty much,” Rade said. “I want us ready to deploy at a moment’s notice.”

The Dragonfly docked with its telemetry drone payload in the second hangar bay, and the Argonaut began its pursuit of the enemy. Rade stared at the tactical display grimly, his gaze focused on the red dot of the Nablis class vessel.

Those Phants had tried to take away everything Rade loved dearly.

Time to make them pay.

twenty-seven

How long until they reach the moon?” Rade asked shortly after the Argonaut began the pursuit in earnest.

“Thirty minutes,” Lui said.

“And what about us?” Rade said.

“Forty-five,” Lui said.

“Assuming they’re actually heading for the moon, and it’s not a feint,” Tahoe said.

“Bax, have you informed the moon’s governor of the situation?” Rade asked.

“I have,” Bax said. “Fret has received a reply, I believe.”

Rade glanced at the comm man.

“The governor of Petrograd Colony has replied, yes,” Fret said. “They intend to shoot down the Nablis Class vessel if it attempts to enter orbit.”

“Do we know the capabilities of that ship yet?” Rade asked. “Other than that they’ve upgraded the missile tubes?”

“The ship is called the Specter,” Lui replied. “Registered to a small Russian security consulting company. My guess is they were hired to escort a merchant to the free port. The Specter has four banks of close range Vipers, some mag-rails for point defenses, and a couple of missile tubes.”

“So nothing they can really fire at us, from this distance,” Rade said.

“We’re definitely too far for the Vipers. But in theory they could lob some slugs from their mag-rails at us. We wouldn’t see them until the last moment. Though damage would be minimal. And they could of course fire another long range missile at us.”

“And yet they’re holding back,” Rade said.

Lui nodded. “My guess is they’re saving what they have for the colony. Or it’s defenses, at least.”

Rade tapped in Shaw directly.

“How are the twins?” he asked her.

“Same as always,” Shaw said. “They slept through the whole incident.”

“Probably a good thing,” Rade said. “Though even if they were awake, I doubt they would have comprehended what was going on.”

“You’d be surprised at the feelings babies can pick up from their parents,” Shaw said. “I think they would have been terrified, at the least.”

Rade didn’t like to hear that, the implication obvious.

“And you?” he said. “How are you holding up?”

“As well as could be expected, I suppose,” she replied. “I’m ready to resume my station. I want to take down these bastards for what they’ve done to me.”

“You and I both,” Rade said. “For now I’d like you to remain inside your jumpsuit, with the babies in sickbay. Essentially ready to evac at a moment’s notice. Man the astrogator station remotely.”

“Got it,” Shaw said. “In fact, I was going to suggest the very same thing.”

Thirty minutes passed. The Specter wasn’t feinting—it proceeded directly toward the colonized area of the moon.

“I’m detecting a communication attempt from the defense platform, directed at the Specter,” Fret said. “They’re giving them a warning.”

“Is the Specter turning back?” Rade asked Lui.

“Negative,” Lui replied. “They’re accelerating, if anything. It’s almost as if they have no intention of orbiting.”

“What do you mean?” Rade asked.

“Well, with their current vector, they’re essentially on a collision course with the colony, unless they start decelerating soon,” Lui clarified. “Though it is possible they intend to bounce off the Kármán line.” That was the point in the lower thermosphere where atmospheric entry began. “Though extremely unlikely, given their current velocity vector, and the atmospheric density.”

“Is the Nablis Class capable of atmospheric entry?” Rade said.

“That’s the thing,” Lui said. “It isn’t. Not in the least.”

“So you’re saying they’re going kamikaze on the colony?” Manic said.

“I don’t know what they’re doing,” Lui said.

“Let’s say they did intend to hit the colony with their ship,” Rade said. “What kind of damage would that cause?”

“A whole lot,” Lui said. “The ship will break apart before impact, of course, assuming they can get past the defenses.” He paused. “The platform just fired. Lasers have scored a direct hit on the Specter. The ship continues to approach.” Another pause. “The Specter just launched a projectile at the defense platform.”

On the tactical display, Rade saw the red dot leave the enemy ship. Several moments passed, and the crimson indicator contacted the green dot representing the defense platform. The red marker vanished.

“What kind of damage did the platform sustain?” Rade asked.

“Severe,” Lui said. “Micro robots are swarming over the wreckage... disintegrating it... self-replicating.”

“Has the Specter changed course yet?” Rade asked.

“No,” Lui said. “They’ve passed the point of no return. They’re definitely intending to enter the atmosphere, for whatever reason. Even if they change course now, the ship is doomed.” A few moments later: “They collided with the swarm that replaced the wreckage. They’ve incurred severe damage to the forward section.”

“What the hell are they doing?” Tahoe said.

“They know they’re doomed, so they don’t care anymore?” Manic said.

“Sort of like a dude we know who made his stripper girlfriend pregnant?” Bender taunted.

Manic shook his head.

“Their ship just took a hit from a surface-to-space laser,” Lui said.

“Any change in their course?” Rade asked.

“Nope,” Lui said. “I suspect their engines are too badly damaged to change course, even if they wanted to. Wait a second...”

“What is it?”

“I’m detecting another projectile launch,” Lui said. “Apparently their missile launch tubes and subsystems are still intact.”

“The target?” Rade asked.

“The colony,” Lui said. “It will hit a few seconds before the ship does. However judging from the trajectory, the projectile will fall well clear of the Specter’s impact, smashing into the north side of the colony.”

“What do we know about that colony?” Rade said. “Is it situated inside an environmental dome?”

“No,” Lui said. “Seeing as the atmosphere has been terraformed to suit human life. Otherwise, it’s your typical colony. A lot of high rises in the center, surrounded by low to medium rise buildings, with some single family homes near the outskirts.”

Lui paused. “The Specter has begun atmospheric entry. It just took another hit from the surface to space laser. It’s already breaking apart, probably from the accumulation of damage. The fragments are heating up, several of them disintegrating.”

Rade accessed the external camera on the Argonaut and zoomed in. He could see what looked like a fiery ball descending into the atmosphere from orbit.

Rade knew that wouldn’t be enough to kill the Phants. Even after their ship burned up and smashed into the surface of the planet, the inter-dimensional beings wouldn’t suffer a scratch.

A minute later Lui announced: “The missile just impacted the northern section.”

Rade zoomed in on the sprawling city and saw the smoking blast crater formed by the projectile strike, nestled amid a neighborhood of medium rise buildings. Foundations were exposed, and water from a broken line geysered. The surrounding buildings showed signs of impact damage, with shattered windows and fragments of slag embedded in the exteriors. People were in the streets, fleeing the impact zone.

Rade saw movement at the bottom of the crater. It looked like black oil flowing upward. He zoomed in further: a micro robot swarm. Likely the self-replicating robots were feeding on the exposed foundations to swell their numbers.

A flash momentarily filled the view.

“The remains of the Specter just impacted near the center of the city,” Lui said.

Rade shifted the camera angle southward. An even larger crater had appeared, this one near the city core, in the middle of a string of high rises. The skyscrapers on the eastern side were sawn in half where the ship had impacted before striking the ground. There was fragment damage to the surviving buildings similar to the projectile impact farther north, though on a greater scale. Foundations were exposed along the rim of the crater, though in the center there was only blackened ground, where the remnants of the Specter had dug clean through any load-bearing structures.

People were streaming from the downtown core in droves. Some via airborne vehicles, others on foot. Smoke and flames streamed from the upper floors of a few of the surrounding buildings.

At the bottom of the new crater, Rade once again saw shapes beginning to amass. That was not blackened ground like he had assumed at first, but in fact micro robots. Multiplying, perhaps using the molten material at the bottom of the crater as fuel: the slag formed from the remnants of the Specter and the impacted buildings.

He returned his attention to the northern crater, where the micro robots were proliferating and teeming over the surfaces of the surrounding buildings.

“Anyone ever eaten ants on a log?” Bender said.

“Huh?” Manic said.

“Ants on a log,” Bender said. “You know, a celery stick with peanut butter filling the groove, and raisins pressed into it.”

“Dude, how can you think of food at a time like this?” Manic said.

“Bitch, I’m always thinking about food,” Bender said. “Anyway, that’s what those buildings remind me of. Just look at them, covered by those robot dust bunnies.”

“They certainly look like a swarm of ants from orbit,” Tahoe agreed.

Rade checked the Argonaut’s location on the tactical display. They were still about ten minutes away. 

“Shaw, I want you to take us into a geosynchronous orbit above the colony,” Rade said.

“I’ll have to start decelerating soon,” Shaw said. “It’ll take half an hour before I can get us properly into position.”

“That’s fine,” Rade said. “Do what you can. Fret, get in touch with the colony administrators. Make sure they know we’re coming to help. I don’t really want to be shot down by that surface to space laser...”

“I wouldn’t like to be shot down either,” Bax said.

“Back talking AI,” Bender muttered over the comm.

“It’s done,” Fret said. “According to the governor, the power grid is offline anyway. They won’t be able to fire their surface-to-space laser for quite a while.”

Over the next several minutes, people evacuated the colony en masse: rockets departed launch terminals, vehicles drove into the outlying districts, people ran into the wilderness beyond the city. Many of the inhabitants probably chose to stay hidden inside houses or apartments, dooming themselves.  

Meanwhile, the swarm grew as the individual robots digested the surrounding buildings and multiplied. The two seething masses expanded, writhing their way across the abandoned downtown streets, joining into a single unit.

As Rade watched, the combined swarm thrust upward from the surface, forming a robot more massive than any of the individual behemoths the team had faced on the lava planet. Once more it was fashioned after the smaller robots composing it: six legs sprouted from a vaguely insectile body, and from the head a single horn protruded.

“Unicorn!” Bender said.

The behemoth directed its horn toward a series of nearby buildings, and a bright green particle beam emerged, cutting a swath through the structures. The robot slowly advanced, repeatedly firing that beam, razing the colony. Its massive extremities remained fluidic, in that no actual feet formed at the bottom of the giant limbs, but the micro robots remained in the swarm state there, their dark masses crawling over nearby buildings and vehicles, digesting the raw materials and further adding to the thing’s bulk. Rade suspected the particle beam also added to its mass in some way, as the behemoth seemed to grow very slightly after each shot.

Fighter drones finally swooped past—part of the colony’s defenses. They launched a string of carpet bombs that detonated all along the behemoth’s dorsal area. Large blast craters appeared in its upper back, but the holes rapidly filled in as the micro robots swarmed. The behemoth spun its head and tracked the drones as they came in for another run. It fired its particle beam, taking out two of the aircraft. The fighters flew past to regroup on the far side of the colony, no doubt intending to make another run. It was obvious the drones wouldn’t last long.

Rade stared for several more moments at the devastation inflicted on the sprawling colony, then he dismissed the camera feed, unable to watch further.

“What’s the population of that colony again?” Rade asked.

“About five million,” Lui said.

twenty-eight

Rade shook his head. “What’s their game? The Phants could have hidden amid the inhabitants. It would have taken us months, maybe years, to ferret them out. And yet they chose to destroy everything. Making it easy for us to find them.”

“Maybe they figured we wouldn’t stand a chance against that thing,” Tahoe said.

“Probably an accurate assumption on their part,” Lui said. “Plus, even if we do defeat the behemoth, there’s no guarantee finding them will be easy. They could be operating from the shadows, controlling the giant robot remotely via those quantum Slipstreams of theirs, hidden away within the rubble. It’s a cinch for a Phant to seep into the ground, or asphalt, or the wall of a building, and lurk just out of view. They could simply wait for us to leave, and then hitch a ride on any rescue craft or Artificials that arrive.”

“It’s certainly possible that they’re fighting from the shadows,” Rade said. “But I’m convinced they wouldn’t want to sit this battle out on the sidelines.”

“You think they’re operating from inside some sort of AI core in the behemoth?” Shaw transmitted.

“At least one of them has to be,” Rade said. “From what we know about Phants, they love power. And what better way to feel that power than to possess a super massive robot?”

“Then why didn’t the Phants possess the behemoths we fought with on the lava planet?” Lui asked.

“They might very well have,” Tahoe said. “Maybe departing before things got too hectic. As in, our little trip into the lava ocean.”

“You make it sound like that was a bad thing,” Bender said. “I’m telling ya, that was one of the best moments of my life, baby. When my little Bender grandkids are sitting on my lap, I’m going to regale them about the time I surfed a lava ocean with nothing but a ballistic shield. While masturbating.”

“You were masturbating while crossing the lava ocean...” Manic said, the disbelief obvious in his voice.

“Hell yeah,” Bender said. “That could have been the final time I got to ejaculate in my life. Wanted to feel it one last time. Besides, the view was spectacular. Of course I had to touch myself.”

“I thought the arrangement of your right hand looked odd out there...” Lui said.

“I’d hate to see what Juggernaut’s cockpit looks like,” Fret said. “Note to self, never hitch a ride with Bender.”

“Manic was inside my cockpit before,” Bender said. Though Rade couldn’t see his face, he could imagine that Bender was flashing that golden grille of his.

“I think I’m gonna chuck,” Manic said.

“All right, Argonauts,” Rade said, drawing their attention back to the matter at hand. “We’re the only ones in range. We’re going to have to go down there and stop that thing. We’re the colonists’ only hope.”

“Why do we always have to play the heroes?” Fret said. “I mean, come on. Look at all the evac rockets they launched. And the vehicles flying away and driving into the countryside. And all those people running into the wilderness. They’ll be fine!”

“And what about the people who stayed behind?” Rade said. “As many people often do during invasions?”

“Well they’re the dumb ones then, aren’t they?” Fret said.

“The boss is right,” Lui said. “We’re the only ones who can help these people. That swarm won’t stop when the city is conquered. They’re going to spread out, I’m sure, and expand into the wilderness area. Perhaps they’ll form smaller hunter-killer style craft, and chase the inhabitants down.”

“To what end?” Fret said.

“Paving the way for the other Phants,” Shaw transmitted. “Due to arrive seven hundred years from now. Leaving the moon ready to be converted into geronium.”

Fret sighed. “Damn it. Well if we’re going to go, let’s do it and get it over with. No more merely talking about it.”

“Soon.” Rade tapped in Surus, who resided in her quarters in the cargo hold. “You’ve been watching events unfold down there?”

“I have,” Surus said. “I’m ready to deploy when you give the order.”

“We’re going to need the telemetry drone,” Rade said.

“We will,” Surus agreed. “But that particular drone isn’t atmosphere capable. However, we can magnetically attach it to the dorsal section of one of the Dragonflies, and the heat shields of the craft should protect it upon atmospheric entry.”

“The shuttle will need an escort...” Rade said.

“You are proposing sending the Hoplites?” Surus said.

“I am,” Rade said.

“It will be dangerous,” Surus said. “If you get close to the swarm, or that particle beam hits...”

“We understand the risks,” Rade said.

“Perhaps I can mitigate that risk somewhat,” Surus said.

“How so?” Rade asked.

“I still have several smaller sub antennae remaining from my quantum Slipstream experimentations,” Surus explained. “There are enough for each of your mechs. With the help of the Argonauts, I can weld them to the individual Hoplites, wiring them to the power sources in the mechs. Because of limitations in the materials and the available power sources, the antennae won’t be as strong as the telemetry drone, but it should be enough to protect the Hoplites from the swarm robots at the very least.”

“What kind of protection are we talking?” Rade said.

“Any micro robots that come within a two-meter diameter will be disabled,” Surus said.

“That’s actually not bad,” Rade said. “But where are these antennae? When did you have time to salvage them from the Molotok?”

“They’re quite small,” Surus said. “So I stowed them in Sprint’s storage compartment before leaving the Molotok at the free port.”

“How much time do you need to install them?” Rade asked.

“With help, between thirty to forty-five minutes,” Surus said.

“Too bad she didn’t tell us about this before, so we could have installed them earlier!” Manic said.

“There was no obvious need,” Surus replied.

“Shaw, how long until we reach geosynchronous orbit above the colony?” Rade said.

“About fifteen minutes,” she replied.

“All right,” Rade said. “I want you to hold that position until we’re ready to drop.”

“What if the behemoth tries to shoot down the Argonaut with that particle beam weapon?” Shaw asked.

“Once you’re in geosynchronous orbit,” Rade said, “begin evasive maneuvers immediately. Stay roughly centered above the colony, and keep a telephoto lens focused on the behemoth at all times so you’re aware of the turret’s position in relation to the ship. Fret, alert the governor of our plans. Algorithm, proceed to hangar bay two. Secure the telemetry drone to the rear of one of the Dragonflies.”

“I thought we needed to attach it to the dorsal area?” Manic asked. “To protect it during atmospheric entry?”

“We do, but there isn’t room in the hangar bay,” Rade said. “The shuttle will have to release the drone after launch, and then reattach it. Now, everyone down. Time to install those antennae.”

The Argonauts leaped from their Hoplites and accepted the quantum Slipstream antennae Surus gave them from the storage compartment in the leg of her mech: the devices were essentially white, hand-sized, helical tubes. As the team worked, they were well aware that every passing moment only enabled the behemoth to get larger as it fed upon the colony below.

“I’ve attained geosynchronous orbit,” Shaw announced over the comm, “and begun preemptive evasive maneuvers.”

Rade paused what he was doing to tap her in directly. “I almost forgot to ask you, do you want to come on this mission? I merely assumed you wanted to remain aboard...”

“Good assumption,” Shaw said. “Let Tahoe pilot Nemesis. My place is here, protecting the twins.”

“Thank you,” Rade said.

“Try not to sound too relieved or anything,” Shaw said.

“You see what we’re facing down there,” Rade said. “One of us has to survive, for the twins.”

“You’ll survive,” Shaw said. “You have to.”

Rade didn’t answer her, instead disconnecting to get back to work. He glanced at his external camera feed occasionally, and watched the battle unfold between the colony’s security forces and the behemoth. Large walker-style mechs perched on rooftops, firing at the giant robot, but they were taken out either by the particle beam, or when the swarm reached them and engulfed them.

Helo-style gunship drones were pounding the behemoth with lasers and missiles. The giant robot slammed its head into those that got too close, smashing them into nearby buildings. It shot down others with its weapon.

Only one fighter drone remained, and it flew past in another carpet-bombing run. The behemoth took the impacts stoically, and as the drone flew in front of it, the particle beam eliminated the fighter.

“So much for the colony’s defenses,” Rade muttered as he worked.

“Should we deploy the Raptor?” Shaw asked a moment later, referring to the air support drone that was still intact aboard the Argonaut.

Rade shook his head. “Its Hellfires and lasers won’t really make a difference. I can’t justify the cost.”

“So what’s the plan?” TJ said as he opened up a Hoplite’s power panel nearby. “We deploy the drone, and let it fire the quantum Slipstream interference device at random areas like we did in space?”

“It wasn’t random,” Surus said. “The spiraling you noticed was simply me running a quick scan until I detected the control center: a spike in quantum Slipstream activity near the core. When my signal hit that region, it was picked up by the core, which transmitted the interference frequency to the outlying units, disabling them all. Attacking the core won’t be so easy here, given the massive extents of this behemoth. It’s likely to be buried deep inside.”

“Why don’t you just focus the quantum interference on the extents, then,” Fret said. “Disable it a little bit at a time. A war of attrition.”

“The telemetry drone can bring down robots along the outer edges, certainly,” Surus said. “But there are so many out there, new ones will instantly replace them. Plus, more are being generated all the time as the micro robots digest and reconstitute the colony’s raw materials... it’s equivalent to pruning a tree or shaving a beard as it grows in realtime under your blade. However, I will continue to analyze the quantum Slipstream emissions during our descent, and I should have a better idea of what to expect once we get closer.”

The crew finished the Hoplite modifications ahead of schedule, at the thirty minute mark.

Rade tapped in Algorithm. “Board the Dragonfly. You get to fly with us.”

“It will be an honor,” Algorithm replied.

“Once you leave the hangar bay,” Rade continued, “release the telemetry drone, and reposition the shuttle underneath. Secure the drone to your dorsal section via the magnetic mounts.”

“Will do,” Algorithm replied. After a minute, the Centurion reported: “It’s done.”

“Hoplites, we drop!” Rade said. “Algorithm, proceed to the colony. Follow our launch vector.”

“Be careful down there!” Shaw transmitted.

Rade and the others loaded into their modified mechs. Tahoe took Nemesis once again.

Secure in his Hoplite, Rade took a running leap outside and fired decelerating thrust.

twenty-nine

Rade quickly descended in his mech. The cone-shaped aeroshell heat shield fell away after atmospheric entry. Rade glanced at his overhead map; he saw the blue dots representing the main group of Hoplites, and the rocket booster indicators following them down. The Dragonfly was near the middle.

Rade could see the colony in the distance ahead. The Hoplites were targeting the southern section of the city for their landing, and would fall within a one kilometer radius.

“You know,” Lui said during the descent. “This is essentially the same extinction-level weapon that our original foe, Zoltan, created, but instead of biological it’s robotics-based. A planet killer.”

“The Phants have a penchant for creating planet killers, don’t they?” Tahoe said.

“Don’t worry,” Fret said. “The United Systems will have its own planet killers someday.”

“Maybe we can use them against you,” Bender said.

“Bender has his own planet killer,” Manic said. “After landing on a new world, all he has to do is take off his underwear, and as soon as the smell seeps out...”

“That’s the smell of a powerful dick,” Bender said. “Least I got one.”

“Powerful dick, tiny balls,” Fret commented.

“Bitch, it’s not balls that are the true measure of courage,” Bender said. “It’s toe size.”

“What?” Manic said. “Where do you come up with this stuff?”

“It’s true,” Bender said. “A bunch of scientists came up with a theory correlating the size of the big toe to one’s bravery. And I have very large big toes.”

“Seems like a bogus theory to me,” Lui said. “I’d like to see the reference papers.”

“Later,” Bender said. “The gist: they tested out the theory on chickens.”

“Chickens, dude?” Fret said.

“That’s right,” Bender said. “In cock fights, those chickens with the biggest spurs on their toes ended up being the bravest.”

“Cock fights,” Manic said. “Now we know what you do in your spare time.”

“Well of course chickens with big spurs are going to be brave,” Tahoe said. “That’s like saying a man carrying a sword is braver than a man armed with a dagger. It has no relation at all to the size of the actual toes.”

“What’s the length of your big toes?” Bender asked.

“I don’t know,” Tahoe said. “Five centimeters?”

“Ha!” Bender said. “Mine are seven!”

“I got seven point five centimeter big toes,” Manic said.

“Eight centimeters here,” Fret said.

“Yeah right, you lying sons of bitches,” Bender said. “When this is done, I’m going to measure your damn toes, and kick your asses for lying.”

“I’m going to kick your ass, period,” Manic said. “Though I’m a bit worried my big toe will get stuck inside your tiny crack.”

“Yeah, big words, bitch,” Bender said. “You’re lucky I got a battle coming up, or I’d serve those words right back to you on an ass-stuffing platter.”

“Bender eats ass-stuffing?” Fret said. “Is that like turkey filling of some kind?”

“I notice a pattern here,” Bender said. “You two bitches are always taking the same side. You and Manic should make a movie. The title could be: Let’s Be Gay Together.”

“Why don’t you join us?” Fret said. “You don’t know what you’re missing.”

“Oh I do,” Bender said. “I really do. I’d make that movie with Surus, though.”

“No you wouldn’t,” Surus said.

“Guys, please,” Rade said. “Enough. I need you to focus.” He knew the banter was meant to distract and calm them from what lay ahead, but there came a time when concentrating on the battle overruled all else. And that time was quickly coming up.

“Sorry, boss,” Bender said.

As Rade made his final approach, he almost regretted silencing his Argonauts. His heart was beating faster than ever, and he felt the fear deep inside of him growing, threatening to overwhelm him. The fear that always came before battle, when he knew he faced his own death. So far he had always fought that fear, and controlled it, but he knew it would be so easy to let go and let the fright unman him.

Remember who you are.

Another thought came into his mind.

The twins aren’t going to grow up without a father.

He smashed down onto a medium rise building on the southern edge of the colony.

On the overhead map, Rade confirmed that the other Hoplites had landed nearby. The behemoth resided several blocks to the northeast of their position, razing its way through the colony’s eastern quarter.

“Surus, what do you have?” Rade said.

She operated Sprint on the rooftop just across the street from him.

“With the help of Harlequin and Algorithm, I’ve been analyzing the quantum emission patterns during our descent, and have an update on the control center,” Surus said. “It’s not buried deep inside the behemoth like I originally believed, but appears to be located near the base of the neck, maybe seven meters inside, so not too deep. As in the previous swarms, that center appears to be amplifying the signal and redistributing it to the entire mass of robots in realtime. If we can bring the telemetry drone close to that spot, and fire the interference signal inside, we can bring down the whole entity. I’ve estimated that the drone will have to close to within at least ten meters for the interference beam to penetrate to the necessary level.”

“So sneak the shuttle up behind it,” Manic said. “And drop down from at height.”

“Unfortunately,” Surus said, “because of the nature of the individual robots composing the behemoth, it won’t be possible to ‘sneak up’ on the enemy, as you say. The body is essentially covered in a million eyes. And while I agree that dropping down to attack from above might seem like a viable strategy, I’ve been observing the enemy as it attacked the security forces... their sensor array will detect an approach from that vector long before the shuttle arrives, giving the enemy ample time to reposition or fire its particle beam.”

“So what do you suggest?” Rade said.

“The best attack vector is to fly in low, from the side, remaining close to the buildings,” Surus said. “Ideally, the Dragonfly should follow the line of the street if possible, staying hidden from view, and emerging only at the last possible moment. I would suggest sending in the Hoplites first as a distraction.”

“Hoplites, proceed forward,” Rade said. “Let’s see what we can do about occupying our enemy while Algorithm moves the Dragonfly into position. Do what Surus suggested, Algorithm: circle out to the east side of the city and come in low, between the streets, using the buildings for cover. Do not engage until we have the enemy occupied. We’ll try to draw its attention away to the west, giving you a clear path to the base of its neck.”

“Understood,” Algorithm said.

Rade and the others moved northeast, heading toward the source of the destruction. Here most of the buildings were intact, as the enemy had not reached these neighborhoods yet. Rade jetted from building to building at first, and as he drew closer to the behemoth, which towered over the buildings ahead of him, he leaped down and proceeded forward on foot. He deployed the anti-laser shield in his left arm. It wouldn’t help much against the particle beam weapon, but it was better than nothing. It might buy him a few milliseconds. Meanwhile, he rotated the cobra into his right arm.

Rade neared the towering behemoth. Up ahead the buildings fell away where the neighborhood had been damaged in one of the earlier particle beam attacks. Rubble filled the street.

The beam unexpectedly came sweeping in as Rade approached—apparently the behemoth had spotted him already.

Rade ducked inside an alleyway between two of the buildings that remained standing. On the street opposite him, a mid rise apartment toppled, fanning across the street.

Something struck Electron in the side. Rade’s mech was sent hurtling from the alleyway. He realized it was another Hoplite. Manned by Harlequin.

Rade glanced back at the alleyway, and saw that the particle beam had hewn through the area, right over the spot where Electron had just been standing.

“Thanks,” Rade told Harlequin.

But the Artificial was already racing his mech away across the ruined street, weaving left and right as the particle beam focused in on his Hoplite.

Damn thing can certainly fire longer than the weapons the original behemoths employed.

Rade used the distraction to fire his jumpjets; he leaped onto the rooftop of a low rise building, and dashed forward. He jetted onto another building, and another, racing toward the behemoth that loomed over him and blotted out the sky.

Rade glanced at his overhead map and saw that the other Hoplites were converging on the area.

“Now, Algorithm!” Rade sent. “Take the shuttle in!” As he continued to race forward, he added: “Cover me, Argonauts!”

Ahead, the roof was covered in the swarm. Rade took a deep breath.

Time to see if these portable interference antennae work.

He sprinted directly toward the micro robots. The horde swarmed to meet him, but then deactivated and collapsed where he passed.

Well that’s a relief.

Rade continued running, crunching over the bodies of the deactivated robots, making his way toward one of the behemoth’s massive limbs. He fired his cobra laser at its underside. Other Hoplites were similarly firing from hides throughout the neighborhood. Someone was launching grenades from a clocktower. When the grenades impacted, large clumps of micro robots fell away from the behemoth.

“Like throwing rocks at a bee hive!” Bender said on the comm, giggling away. “That’s right, shake those titties, bitch!”

The surface became loose and uneven beneath Rade. He reached the edge of the roof and jetted over the street, which crawled with micro robots. Overhead, the behemoth’s form continued to block the sky.

Rade landed on the adjacent rooftop, which was also covered in the swarm. The horde members continued to deactivate within a one meter radius around him. The micro bots had done a much better job of ingesting this building, and it was structurally unstable. The roof gave shortly, unable to hold his mech: in moments Rade found himself plunging through into the room below.

Rade clambered to his feet amid the deactivated micro robots and shucked off those that had fallen on top of him. He leaped into the side of the weakened structure and easily burst through, landing on another building below that similarly swarmed with robots. He quickly jetted onto the adjacent street, not wanting to fall through that roof as well.

The behemoth lifted one of its massive limbs to swat at Rade as he grew near.

“Algorithm...” Rade sent.

Rade jetted to the side in an attempt to avoid the impact, but the appendage caught him in a glancing blow. The robots composing the extremity likely deactivated a meter away from his mech, but Rade couldn’t tell, because their momentum still carried the metal bodies into him. The blow sent Electron arcing backward over the rooftops. He saw particles fall away from the tip of the receding limb in front of him—likely the micro robots his local interference device had knocked offline.

He landed on his back upon the bare asphalt of the street behind him, and slid across the surface. He cut a five-meter long runnel into the road before coming to a halt.

Warning indicators flashed on the HUD. Rade had taken severe damage to his cockpit, and a key servomotor in his left arm was only partially functional. It looked like he had sustained more of a direct impact than the glancing blow he had originally believed.

That massive head was turning toward him, bringing its particle beam to bear.

And then behind the behemoth the Dragonfly emerged from a mid-rise building.

“Come on...” Rade said.

He scrambled to his feet and hurried toward another building to take cover from the expected beam.

But the strike never came in. He glanced over his shoulder, and saw that the massive head had diverted course, moving with unexpected speed to intercept the Dragonfly. It struck the fuselage hard, and the craft pinwheeled away, sending the robots that had managed to cling to the surface spinning into the air.

Rade watched in disappointment as it arced over several of the buildings, finally slamming into a skyscraper three blocks away before vanishing inside, leaving a gaping hole surrounded by a waterfall of fragmented glass.

Nothing is ever easy.

thirty

Algorithm, do you read?” Rade tried.

According to the overhead map, the shuttle, and the telemetry drone attached to it, had embedded within the center of the building.

“I’m here,” Algorithm replied. “However, the Dragonfly is out of action. A few micro robots managed to cling to the fuselage, but I’ve eliminated them with my blaster. Those that I was able to find, anyway—much of the nose is buried in debris. I’m deactivating the magnetic mounts to remove the telemetry drone as we speak, and I’ll try to drag it closer to the rent I’ve torn in the building, for retrieval.”

The other Hoplites were still firing from the various hides they had secured throughout the neighborhood.

“Regroup at that skyscraper!” Rade said. “We’re collecting the telemetry drone!”

Rade retreated from the behemoth, ducking behind a ring of buildings, and then hurried east along the street, taking a circuitous route to the skyscraper. On the overhead map he watched the blue dots of his companions similarly make their way east.

The red dots composing the behemoth were also moving in that direction, as if the giant was intent on thoroughly destroying the shuttle as well. But it looked like the Hoplites would beat the lumbering entity.

Rade reached the base of the skyscraper with Harlequin and Tahoe. He leaped upward and activated his jumpjets to increase the range of the jump. He grabbed onto the corner of the building, then braced his legs against a concrete ledge and vaulted upward again, once more using his jumpjets. In that manner he proceeded up the building, ascending toward the gash the shuttle had carved into the skyscraper.

When he reached the appropriate level, Rade swung his body sideways and jetted away from the edge, toward the hole.

Rade spotted Algorithm inside. The combat robot was dragging the telemetry drone toward the opening via a makeshift harness and a series of carbon fiber cords it had wrapped around the large object.

“I’ll handle it from here,” Rade said, bending over to slide inside the cramped space on the stomach of his mech. The servomotor in his left arm groaned in complaint, fighting against the reduced power output caused by the damage it had taken, but he managed to latch onto the drone. Algorithm hastily removed the harness as Rade pulled the drone toward the opening.

Rade passed the telemetry craft to Harlequin’s mech, which waited outside, clinging to the exterior next to Tahoe’s Hoplite.

Harlequin released the building, as did Tahoe, and together they plunged back toward the street.

Rade extricated himself from the confines of the building, and glanced across the city toward the behemoth. From his current height, he readily spotted the approaching behemoth. The turret on its head was directed toward the skyscraper.

Rade frantically reached back inside the building and grabbed Algorithm, then he leaped from the opening.

The particle beam tore into the building above him, cutting it in two. The upper half toppled, the frame of glass and steel plunging directly toward him as he descended.

Rade jetted to the side and out of the path of the debris. He landed on the asphalt, then held Algorithm over his shoulder. The Centurion clambered from his large hand and into the passenger seat without further instruction.

“Secure!” Algorithm said.

Rade turned toward Tahoe and Harlequin, who had landed their mechs nearby. Harlequin’s Hoplite carried the telemetry drone overhead in both arms.

“Is the antenna still functional?” Rade asked.

“It is,” Surus answered. “I’m able to fully modulate the quantum Slipstream interference.”

“Then we carry in the telemetry drone manually!” Rade said. “Surus, transmit the necessary targeting information to our mechs, so we know where we have to place that drone.”

Green indicators overlaid both his vision and overhead map, showing precisely where the drone had to be deployed behind the neck of the incoming behemoth in order for the Slipstream interference to override the command and control core.

“Bender, Manic,” Rade sent. “Stay close to Harlequin! Protect him! Tahoe, Surus, take the lead, twenty-five meters ahead. Fret, TJ, you have the left side, twenty-five meters out. I’ll take the right with Lui.”

The Hoplites assumed their places in the formation.

“Proceed!” Rade sent.

The group raced forward to intercept the behemoth, weaving between the intact buildings of the neighborhood.

“We’ve got contact!” Tahoe said after rounding a bend. “New tangos... walker robots of some kind! We have to take cover!”

Rade reached the edge of the building bordering the adjacent street and he dropped, aiming past at the new red dots that appeared closer at hand, ahead of the behemoth.

He saw the smaller, mech-sized robots that Tahoe mentioned. They looked like walker units, with two long legs situated underneath a boxlike torso from which a single turret protruded. Rade couldn’t see any actual beams fired from those turrets, and deduced that they were lasers. He saw several crisscrossing seams in the hulls, indicating where the micro robots had joined together to create the larger forms.

Rade glanced at the incoming behemoth behind those walkers; the giant robot fired its particle beam down at the Hoplites in that moment; Fret and TJ had assumed a position on the rooftop across the street, but they were forced to abandon it as the beam came in, dropping to the asphalt below as they fled.

“Electron, keep an eye on that behemoth,” Rade told his local AI. “If that particle beam bears down on us, move!”

“Understood,” Electron replied.

Remaining in cover behind the building edge, Rade switched to the viewpoint of his scope, and centered the targeting reticle of his cobra at one of the distant walkers. He squeezed the trigger; he was certain he had impacted, but the robot didn’t even respond. It was like Rade hadn’t even hit the thing. Likely the micro robots composing the walker had already repositioned to repair the damage he might have caused.

Rade would have switched to his grenade launcher, but the range was too far.

He ducked behind the building as several of those walkers turned their turrets toward him, and he swung his shield into place for protection.

Abruptly Electron took control of the unit, racing him away from the building as a particle beam from the behemoth came in.

Rade jetted upward, landing on a nearby rooftop that afforded him a view of the street, and crouched behind a superstructure. Lui landed not far from him. After confirming that the behemoth’s attention was no longer focused on him, Rade inched his way forward, and aimed past the rooftop rim and into the street.

The walkers were still approaching. Rade fired again, but his laser still seemed to cause no damage.

Well this isn’t going to work.

“There’s too many of them!” Lui said.

From a building up ahead, Bender abruptly dropped down into the street, smashing into one of the enemy units. The walker broke into its constituent micro robots, which fanned across the asphalt—they were inactive thanks to the interference antennae installed on the Hoplite.

“Cover Bender!” Rade said.

Bender held his shield toward the remaining walkers and frantically moved from robot to robot, plowing into them one at a time, causing them to dissolve in turn.

The behemoth had moved forward over the past few moments, and was nearly on top of Bender’s mech.

Bender made a mistake then, and turned toward the behemoth. One of its limbs was coming crashing down toward him.

“Bender, watch the limb!” Rade said.

It smashed into the Hoplite, burying Juggernaut.

Bender’s blue dot vanished from the overhead map.

“No,” Rade said.

The man was gone.

Gone!

No time to mourn.

Rade glanced at the street in front of the behemoth. There were only two walkers left.

“Bender has cleared the way!” Rade sent. “Proceed!”

Tahoe and Surus hurried forward, as did Harlequin and Manic. Rade, Lui, Fret and TJ bounded along on either side of them, jetting from rooftop to rooftop.

The remaining Argonauts rapidly closed with the behemoth. Its massive body occluded the particle beam from view, preventing the giant robot from firing it at them. Instead, more walker units began to materialize from the loose array of micro robots forming the behemoth’s lower limbs.

The Argonauts unleashed grenades now that they were in range, and the impacts brought down the walkers. Temporarily, anyway—new ones continually formed.

Tahoe, Surus, Manic and Harlequin jetted onto a nearby building, then fired their jumpjets again to thrust even higher, passing near the head of the behemoth. They fired grenades at the particle beam turret.

Rade, Lui, Fret and TJ leaped off of their current buildings and joined the others, thrusting past the head, and firing their grenades to distract the robot.

The behemoth rotated its neck frantically, trying to protect its particle beam weapon from the attack.

Good, let it think the particle beam is our target.

Harlequin and Manic thrust behind the neck. Harlequin must have directed the antenna of the telemetry drone downward, probably with Surus’ guidance, because a moment later a debilitating shockwave passed outward from the base of the neck, running along the micro robots composing the unit. When it reached the extremities, the giant began to disassemble, collapsing into a pile of disabled robots. The walker units that had formed up along the street around it similarly collapsed. 

“My sensors are detecting what I believe are the AI cores,” Surus said.

She dove Sprint into that pile, vanishing. She emerged a moment later, jetting skyward and sending up a spray of disabled micro robots before landing on the street. She held two man-sized cylindrical objects in either hand of the mech. One was surrounded by green condensation, the other purple.

The AI cores responsible for the operation of the giant robot, no doubt. Rade’s hunch had been correct, then.

Sprint’s cockpit hatch fell open, and Surus, wearing her jumpsuit, swung down to the storage compartment in the mech’s leg and grabbed the stun rifle. The two Phants were beginning to ooze out toward the ground by that point, but when she fired at each in turn, the liquid forms snapped back inside, retreating into the cores Sprint still held.

“Mission complete,” Surus said.

“Shaw,” Rade transmitted. “Send down the second shuttle.” They had stored the Phant trap inside earlier, a glass container that would hold the alien entities without requiring Surus to repeatedly fire her stun rifle at them.

“What about Bender?” Manic said.

Rade was already hurrying toward the crumpled limb that had stomped on Bender’s mech. The others soon joined him, and they began digging into the inactive micro robots.

“Found something,” Fret said.

He produced a body from the mass of robots. The skin was charred black so that Rade couldn’t tell if it was Bender or not.

“Is that him?” Lui asked.

“The public profile isn’t responding,” Fret said. “Probably because it’s been eaten away. But who else could it be?”

“No,” Manic said. His Hoplite dropped to its knees.

Rade felt like dropping too.

“Where’s his mech?” Tahoe asked.

“Obviously his antenna failed,” Fret said. “And the bots dissolved his Hoplite. They got him. I can’t believe it.”

“Why does he looked burned?” Tahoe said.

“A fire in his cockpit, caused by the micro bots?” Lui said. The sadness was obvious in his voice.

Rade sat down, shellshocked. He stared into space.

“Rade, are you all right?” Shaw sent.

“I just—” Rade said. “I just need a moment.”

He reviewed the battle in his mind, trying to figure out what he had done wrong. There were many things. Too many.

Rade heard a crunching behind him. One of the Hoplites was approaching, its large feet crushing the micro robots below.

The footsteps paused.

A familiar voice came over the comm: “Da fuck all you bitches looking at?”

Rade turned around in surprise. It was Bender, aboard Juggernaut. The mech was beat up and dented all over, but otherwise intact.

“Bender!” Manic rose, and raced over to him. “You’re all right!”

“No shit, bitch. Quit hopping around like a crazed jackrabbit, you’re giving me the willies.”

“Then who’s this?” Fret beckoned toward the dead body cradled in his large metallic hand.

“Hell if I know,” Bender said.

“I’ve completed a preliminary scan,” Harlequin said. “It appears to be an Artificial. I believe it was either the host used by Alton, or Corunna. Or what was left of that host after atmospheric entry.”

“Good of you to tell me that now,” Fret tossed the body aside in disgust.

“What happened to you, brother?” TJ said. “You disappeared off all of our maps when that thing stepped on you.”

Rade glanced at his overhead map. Bender’s blue dot was back, of course.

“I landed on a manhole cover,” Bender said. “It and the surrounding pavement collapsed under me. Couldn’t take the weight of all that crap bearing down on me, I ‘spose. I fell into the goddamn sewer.”

“That could certainly cut him off from communications,” Lui said. “Depending on the materials composing the walls of the sewer.”

“He’s gone and covered himself in feces,” Fret said. “As usual.”

“Whoa,” Manic said. “No wonder he reeks. And he hasn’t even taken off his undergarments yet.”

“It was like sewage evolution back in bootcamp down there,” Bender said. “Not something I recommend.”

“This has nothing to do with bootcamp,” Fret said. “Your ass is merely opening up in anticipation at the prospect of Manic’s touch.”

“Yeah skinny bitch, that’s right,” Bender said.

“Good to have you back, Bender.” Rade surveyed the ruins of the surrounding buildings. “Well, looks like we’ve got a bit of a search and rescue operation to perform here. Lui, Tahoe, escort Surus to the incoming shuttle, and ensure the two Phants are contained aboard. The rest of you, let’s make our way to the colony’s downtown. It’s time to start digging out survivors.”

thirty-one

The colony’s search and rescue robots joined the Hoplites and helped scour through the collapsed buildings for survivors. Other residents began to trickle in from the countryside, and joined in the efforts. By nightfall Rade and his companions had helped rescue twelve people buried in the rubble. Rade and the others continued working through the night, but only rescued one other person.

In the morning, the Russian governor thanked Rade and the Argonauts for their help, and told him that his teams would take over from there. Rade knew the likelihood of finding anyone else still alive was extremely low by that point, so he returned to the booster rockets with his team and they launched into orbit.

The Argonaut made its way toward the closest star to deposit the two Phants into their permanent prison in the core of the sun. The ship had no missiles to use for the act, so Surus used the 3D printers to come up with a suitable substitute, siphoning off some of the Argonaut’s propellant to act as fuel. Brat had succeeded in melting down the swarm of deactivated micro robots still aboard, which provided the raw materials for the printer. The leftover matter was used by the repair drones to provide a temporary plug for the hull breaches, which would hopefully last until the next dry dock. Once the Argonaut was within range of the star, the plan was to load the Phant trap inside the substitute missile, and then lob it into the corona.

Rade found himself spending much of his time in the sickbay gazing at the twins. Neither had awakened, yet. The Weavers had already performed some of the surgical operations needed to deal with the pre-term complications, and so far the babies were healthy.

Rade still couldn’t believe he was a father. He had helped create these tiny beings, and now it was his responsibility to raise them to become good people. He wasn’t sure he was up to the task. How could any parent be?

Shaw usually joined him, thankfully, reminding him that the burden wouldn’t be his alone. He didn’t think he would have been able to do it, without her.

One evening, about two days out from the star, shortly after Rade and Shaw arrived in the sickbay, Surus joined them. Her hair was tucked into a ponytail, like Shaw’s, and she wore similar fatigues, though hers were more figure-accentuating. One might almost think they were related, were it not for Shaw’s olive skin versus Surus’ pale features.

“How are the twins?” Surus asked.

“Good,” Shaw replied.

“I’m glad to hear it,” Surus said. “New life, and how it begins, always fascinates me. And my kind in general. We are so long lived, we barely remember our own entrance into this universe.”

“So what can I do for you?” Rade asked. “Or did you come here merely to comment on the fascinating nature of new life.”

Surus smiled at the barb. “I wanted to thank you for agreeing to continue helping me, despite everything that has happened. The betrayal of my kind is a terrible blow.”

“Believe me,” Rade told her. “I’ve almost given up on you many times, now. Honestly, I’m not really sure why I haven’t dropped you off at the nearest station and said my farewells. I guess it’s because we’ve fought together for so long. Since the First Alien War, when we shared a mech. Battling side by side. That’s the only true way to gauge a man’s word, and his worth. Or an alien’s, in this case. I still don’t completely trust you, and I’m not sure I ever will. But our goals align, for the moment. We need to eliminate the Phant threat in this space, regardless of what our High Councils and governments tell us.”

“I’m glad you feel that way,” Surus said, sounding cautious. “You should know, the High Council has repeatedly ordered me to cease my hunting activities in this space.”

“But you’re going to continue...” Shaw said.

“As I told Rade when we were trapped underneath the lava planet, I have worked with humans too long to abandon you now,” Surus replied. “In fact, I consider myself more human than Phant at this point.”

Shaw gave Rade a worried glance. Like him, he knew she didn’t entirely trust Surus, and she likely didn’t know what to make of Surus’ latest revelation. Neither did Rade, for that matter. Would Surus truly betray her race for humanity in this regard? Thus far, he had seen no indication that she would go back on her word, but still the doubts lingered.

“By the way,” Surus continued. “I’ve lost contact with all Greens in human space. Or rather, they’ve severed all contact with me. I had hoped there would be others of my kind still sympathetic to your cause in this part of the galaxy, but it appears that is not the case. They are too fearful of repercussions from the High Council.”

“Have you heard from Noctua yet?” Rade asked.

“No,” Surus said. “And that is disturbing. She should have reported back by now. I can only hope she changed the linkage codes of the Acceptor to prevent any Greens from arriving from my homeworld. And that she moved the base before the other Greens here could attack.”

“I’m guessing you want us to set a course for the existing base when this is done?” Rade said.

“I do,” Surus said. “But we must be careful, for the Greens will no doubt expect my arrival, and will attempt to lay a trap. When they learn I have hurled a fellow Green into a star, there will be no going back. Even though she violated the High Council’s edict by directly aiding a Purple.”

Shaw nodded slowly. “So much for our much vaunted friendship.”

“Yes,” Surus said. “I hope the both of you are ready for what’s coming.”

Rade frowned. “And what exactly is coming?”

Surus smiled sadly. “We hunt the Greens now, too.”

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postscript

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about the author

USA Today bestselling author Isaac Hooke holds a degree in engineering physics, though his more unusual inventions remain fictive at this time. He is an avid hiker, cyclist, and photographer who sometimes resides in Edmonton, Alberta.

acknowledgments

THANK YOU to my knowledgeable beta readers and advanced reviewers who helped smooth out the rough edges of the prerelease manuscript: Nicole P., Sandy G., Amy B., Lance W., Myles C., Lisa A. G., Gregg C., Jeff K., Mark C., Jeremy G., Doug B., Jenny O., Bryan O., Lezza M., Gene A., Larry J., Allen M., Gary F., Norman H., Eric, Robine, Noel, Anton, Spencer, Trudi, Corey, Erol, David, Charles, Walter, Lisa, Ramon, Chris, Scott, Michael, Chris, Bob, Jim, Maureen, Zane, Chuck, Shayne, Anna, Dave, Roger, Nick, Gerry, Charles, Annie, Patrick, Mike, Jeff, Lisa, Jason, Bryant, Janna, Tom, Jerry, Chris, Jim, Brandon, Kathy, Norm, Jonathan, Derek, Shawn, Judi, Eric, Rick, Bryan, Barry, Sherman, Jim, Bob, Ralph, Darren, Michael, Chris, Michael, Julie, Glenn, Rickie, Rhonda, Neil, Claude, Ski, Joe, Paul, Larry, John, Norma, Jeff, David, Brennan, Phyllis, Robert, Darren, Daniel, Montzalee, Robert, Dave, Diane, Peter, Skip, Louise, Dave, Brent, Erin, Paul, Jeremy, Dan, Garland, Sharon, Dave, Pat, Nathan, Max, Martin, Greg, David, Nancy, Ed, David, Karen, Becky, Jacob, Ben, Don, Carl, Gene, Bob, Luke, Teri, Gerald, Lee, Rich, Ken, Daniel, Chris, Al, Andy, Tim, Robert, Fred, David, Mitch, Don, Tony, Dian, Tony, John, James, David, Pat, Jean, Bryan, William, Roy, Dave, Vincent, Tim, Richard, Kevin, George, Andrew, John, Richard, Robin, Sue, Mark, Jerry, Rodger, Rob, Byron, Ty, Mike, Gerry, Steve, Benjamin, Anna, Keith, Jeff, Josh, Herb, Bev, Simon, John, David, Greg, Larry, Timothy, Tony, Ian, Niraj, Maureen, Jim, Len, Bryan, Todd, Maria, Angela, Gerhard, Renee, Pete, Hemantkumar, Tim, Joseph, Will, David, Suzanne, Steve, Derek, Valerie, Laurence, James, Andy, Mark, Tarzy, Christina, Rick, Mike, Paula, Tim, Jim, Gal, Anthony, Ron, Dietrich, Mindy, Ben, Steve, Paddy & Penny, Troy, Marti, Herb, Jim, David, Alan, Leslie, Chuck, Dan, Perry, Chris, Rich, Rod, Trevor, Rick, Michael, Tim, Mark, Alex, John, William, Doug, Tony, David, Sam, Derek, John, Jay, Tom, Bryant, Larry, Anjanette, Gary, Travis, Jennifer, Henry, Drew, Michelle, Bob, Gregg, Billy, Jack, Sandra, Libby, Jonathan, Karl, Bruce, Clay, Gary, Sarge, Andrew, Deborah, Steve, and Curtis.

Without you all, this novel would have typos, continuity errors, and excessive lapses in realism. Thank you for helping me make this the best military science fiction novel it could possibly be, and thank you for leaving the early reviews that help new readers find my books.

And of course I’d be remiss if I didn't thank my mother, father, and brothers, whose untiring wisdom and thought-provoking insights have always guided me through the untamed warrens of life.

— Isaac Hooke

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