Defenders of the Rim: Beginnings: A Far Future SciFi Thriller Page 11

  The last thought carried her back to the last time she had found trouble. Well, if you don’t count the incident where I crashed the AI in the OCS training simulator. It was obvious to me that simulation was kinda weak in real world application. It just needed a couple of tweaks to fix a small issue. It wasn’t my fault the AI took me a little too literally, and locked itself in a decision loop.

  No, the incident in question had been a little more real. Just before the end of the OCS training program, all the trainees were dropped on a deserted planet and told to make their way to a designated extraction point. They were given only basic equipment and no weapons other than their training lasers which were dialed down to a low power safe mode. The planet was supposed to be free of dangerous wildlife, which was vetted by a survey team before the commencement of the exercise.

  Although the training was considered a competition, it was also for an extended period of time and the cadets tended to work together when the situation warranted. Jarra was working with a group she had often worked with before, and she had been content to stay in the background while one of the other cadets, Cadet Murphy, led their group. Murphy was a good enough sort and he was leading the group confidently to their planned overnight position. A large cave had been spotted and it would offer shelter against the rather cold nights in the area of the exercise.

  That was when they found trouble. The survey team had missed a rather large predator that normally hibernated during the cold, much like the earth bear. Truth be told, Jarra was probably the only one of the cadets who had seen a real earth bear and she would have immediately known the animal deserved respect. Like the earth bear, the hibernating creature was apt to be angry if awakened, and also like the earth bear, the creature had the size and claws to back up that anger.

  Unbeknownst to Murphy, the cave they had chosen was home to one of the hibernating creatures, and the warmth of the fire and the lights and sounds generated by their party had awakened the beast. With a loud roar, the monster charged out of the darkness, slinging to the side any unlucky cadet that got in its way, leaving a number of rather severe injuries behind it. Murphy and a handful of cadets managed to escape out of the cave, leaving a part of the group trapped and unable to escape.

  Jarra had been close enough to the entrance that she could have easily escaped, but she had known that would leave a number of her fellow cadets at risk and those that were injured would be in dire straits. She had not hesitated, rushing forward to the fire to grab one of the burning branches and thrusting it in the face of the creature, forcing it back. Yelling for the others to assist the injured, she had directed them all into one of the side branches of the cave, using her handmade torch to keep the beast at bay long enough to allow them all to make it inside. Unfortunately, the cave branch was a dead-end, effectively trapping the group.

  Knowing that the injured would need immediate medical attention or some might even die, Jarra had attempted the impossible. Using her implants and her high-end internal AI, she hacked their handheld lasers, overriding the training setting and bringing them up to full power. Directing the handful of uninjured cadets, Jarra led them back out of their hiding place. Hating to do it, but knowing they had no choice after several hits had only injured the beast, enraging him even more, Jarra put him down with a head shot.

  Jarra smiled as she remembered the after exercise debrief. Chagrined at their bad upfront work that had put the cadets at risk, the OCS council had been rightfully unhappy about Jarra being able to hack their training lasers, but had not dared to pursue it too far. After all, Jarra was a hero to all her classmates and to many of the instructors. Warning her not to attempt anything like that again, instead of punishing her, they had given her the combat medal that she proudly wore along with her merit awards. They had also sealed the details of the entire incident for fear other cadets would attempt the hack of the lasers, but she had still been given permission to wear the medal when in dress uniform.

  #

  Jarra was snapped out of her thoughts by a distant explosion that still shook the ship in spite of its distance.

  “What was that?” Sara blurted, historical space battles not one of her areas of knowledge. Gabo was also equally baffled and worried.

  Jarra knew exactly what it was. “You want to explain it to them, Galen?”

  “It was a DEPTH charge, I’m certain. Deployable Energy Powered Thrust into Hyperspace, without a doubt called that as a throwback to old earth naval warfare whereby destroyers hunted submarines using depth charges. Depth charges back then were explosive devices dropped into the water and set to detonate at the estimated depth of the sub. They would drop the explosives in a pattern intended to bracket the sub. A rather effective strategy, as a near miss would often still be fatal to the sub.

  “I had hoped our friends out there didn’t have any of the weapons. Most modern destroyers don’t have them since the mapping of hyperspace around the majority of the inhabited worlds is sufficient to enable any ship entering hyperspace to be able to navigate to safety. Someone was smart enough to equip our rebel ships with them and it looks like a second destroyer has joined the first, so they will be able to lay a rather tight pattern.”

  “We don’t have any option other than try to wait it out and hope they miss us,” Jarra explained to the two who were staring wide-eyed by this time. “The devices are launched just as their name implies by being thrust into hyperspace and like their naval counterparts, they travel a set distance before dropping out of hyperspace to explode. As in their naval history, a near miss by a depth charge can still be fatal. We have to hope they don’t have our exact depth and that the currents in the hyperspace around our little eddy keep the depth charges away. We have to remain completely sensor silent and hope they don’t detect us. Any attempt to move would give our position away.”

  Another explosion shook the ship, this one a little closer. The team struggled as the onslaught continued, all of them powerless to do anything and each one wondering if their next breath would be their last. They didn’t even have a way to see the depth charges coming. One must have come pretty close as a large explosion shook their ship, causing the lights to flicker and go out. The only light their emergency lighting, the team stared at each other. Would the next one be the one to get them?

  Finally, the explosions started to get further away. It looked like they might survive a little longer as Galen feverishly worked to repair their damage. Jarra couldn’t help wondering just what their enemy would try next.

  A few minutes later she would have her answer and she didn’t like it one bit.

  #

  Gabo had been using passive sensors to monitor the movement of the enemy ships. Not entirely effective, it still gave him an idea of where they were. Unfortunately, he spotted a pattern to the movement of the cruiser that worried him.

  “Commander,” he called out. “Take a look at the plot of the cruiser’s activity over the last ten minutes. Does that mean what I think it means?”

  Jarra glanced at the plot he indicated and she instantly knew exactly what it meant. “They’re mining the only plotted entrance to hyperspace. The help we’re waiting for will run right into that and be unable to reach us. They’ll either be forced to return to hyperspace or be destroyed. That will allow our ‘friends’ to take their time in hunting us.”

  “What can we do? We were counting on having help. No way can we hold out for an extended period of time,” Gabo said, his worries matching Jarra own.

  “I don’t know yet.” Jarra had an idea. It was crazy, but they had to try something. “Galen, any chance you could get us to somewhere around here?” Jarra asked, indicating a spot on the plot that was some distance away.

  Galen stared at the plot. “I don’t know. We don’t dare use our active sensors or those destroyers will nail us in a second. Without active sensors, it will be extremely difficult, if not impossible. I do remember a channel in hyperspace running that direction.”

  “Yes,
I remembered that from just before we anchored in here. What if we move at an extremely slow speed and use the interaction of the ship’s fields with the hyperspace structures around us? Much like I did on our flight down to the surface, where I used the anti-grav fields to get us down and the feel of the fields to pilot us?”

  Galen stared at her in near shock. “No one has ever attempted to do something like that. It will require near instantaneous reactions between the pilot and navigator, and an almost instinctive reaction to the effects of hyperspace.”

  “We would have to link our implants together and tie them in to the hyperspace navigation system, but it is theoretically possible.” Jarra knew full well the implications of doing that.

  Galen stared at her. “Are you willing to do that? That’s a rather intimate connection and there will be no secrets between us.”

  “I know. If you weren’t a member of my team, I’d say no. You have to be willing to do the same thing. Know this: I’m willing to do anything necessary for my team if it will protect them, even lay down my life,” Jarra told him. She smiled, “At least you’ll be the first to know my secrets!”

  Gabo had been listening to the two of them with near disbelief. Before Galen could answer, he interjected, “You should bring us all into the connection. I’ll be able to help monitor the fields and tie them into the sensors to give us a slightly wider field of view. Sara will be able to help maintain the connection between our implants and keep us fully active.”

  “You’re all willing to do this?” Jarra asked, looking around at her team in wonder. One by one they all nodded.

  “We couldn’t let Galen be ahead of us in knowing those secrets,” Sara told her with a smile. “He might unfairly manipulate the pool about who you are to win. Can’t have that.” Her smile grew bigger at Jarra’s reaction. “I intend to win it myself,” she declared with a smirk.

  Tears were in Jarra’s eyes, but she didn’t care. “How did I wind up with the most amazing team in the galaxy? Once we do this, there will be no going back.”

  Jarra just sat there a moment looking at them. “I hope you’re all willing to stay with me after you know,” she said in a near whisper.

  “Don’t worry,” Sara said. “We all love you and would do anything to protect you, no matter what.” She reached over to give Jarra a hug, a few tears of her own blurring her vision.

  For the first time, while still nervous, Jarra felt good about telling her secrets. Maybe it would be alright. “Ok, team. Get everything ready first, so we don’t stress the connection longer than we have to do it. I’m going to go to my quarters for a few minutes. We’ll initiate the connection at the top of the hour.”

  #

  Jarra sat alone in her small quarters, working at her meditation to try to calm her mind. For the first time in years, she struggled to reach the quiet place within herself.

  “Novice,” she whispered to herself. Forcing herself to let go, she reached toward her peaceful spot. “I don’t think I’ll let Master Kadash know about this little episode.” She smiled, remembering the first time she had met the Master. He had used that word to describe her, something that had set her aback at the time.

  Jarra had always tried to do her utmost at everything she did. She started studying martial arts at a very early age and progressed rapidly through the ranks. Finally, at the tender age of twelve, her father had agreed to allow her to train with Master Kadash, if he would accept her. As usual, her father underestimated her, thinking she would fail to be accepted by him.

  Studying everything about the Master before that first meeting, Jarra thought she understood his philosophy and methods of teaching. She had been totally shocked at that first declaration from the Master, especially because she felt the truthfulness of his words. Jarra had been spoiled by the praise she had always been given before this, and the revelation from the Master had shown her just how much she had to learn.

  Jarra had swallowed her pride and bowed to the Master. “Yes, Master, I have much to learn and I humbly submit myself for your instruction.”

  Master Kadash kept his solemn and disapproving look, but somehow Jarra sensed his silent approval. Of course, he hadn’t hesitated over the next years to put her through the most intense training she had ever experienced, making even the Imperial Marine training and OCS classes she would later take seem less difficult.

  Once more, Jarra slipped into her inner void, calming her mind, body, and spirit, and preparing for what was to come.

  CHAPTER NINE

  We Do What We Must

  Jarra returned to the control room with a few minutes to spare. She stood watching her crew as they prepared to do the impossible. She still couldn’t believe just how amazing they were. Finishing up their preparation, they all strapped into their stations. It was quite possible the ride would get a little rough.

  Finally it was time and Jarra grew nervous once again. This was it, the moment she had been worrying about, but it was also the moment their team had the chance to reach the next level. Sara had prepped a protocol for their implants to use and she explained how she intended to make the connection.

  “I’ll first make the connection to Gabo and then Galen. We’ll connect to your implants last, since I know that yours are more powerful than ours. Because I’ll have the controlling position in the hierarchy, I’ll be able to concentrate on maintaining the connection and the rest of you will be able to concentrate on your jobs. When it’s time to end our connection, I’ll drop the connections in the reverse order.”

  Everyone nodded that they understood, so Sara began the process. She couldn’t resist a slight smile as she made the first connection. Gabo and his intense thought process caught her by surprise, even though she had expected it. Her smile grew bigger as she added Galen to the link, his own thoughts every bit as intense as Gabo’s, albeit a little more organized. Then she started initiating the connection to Jarra.

  That was when she received the first shock of the several she was to receive from the connection to her commander.

  Jarra “spoke” to them with a slight twinkle in her mental voice. She felt their surprise. “Hello, Sara, Galen and Gabo. Welcome to my busy head and let me introduce you to my personal AI, Jynks. Jynks has been with me since I was a little girl.”

  “Hello, everyone. I feel like I know you already, but it’s a pleasure to finally be able to speak to you.” Jynks spoke with a bit of an accent which they all recognized came from the core worlds. The realization of what Jynks was hit them next. He was a powerful AI that Jarra carried around in her head.

  But their implant connection didn’t allow them time to digest the details of that revelation before the rest of it began to hit them. It all happened so quickly that revelation followed revelation. “Your Highness,” Sara said into the link in near awe, before letting slip the not quite so awe-filled thought, “Dang. None of us won the pool. We weren’t nearly ambitious enough.”

  Jarra’s emotions flared once again as she spoke into the link. “So now you know what no one other than a select few in the Empire know, although apparently a few Imperial Marines do. Will you continue to serve on my team, knowing just how much I’ve had to keep from you?”

  Jarra was hit with such a flood of love and respect and awe, she once again was near tears.

  As controller of the link, Sara continued to be the spokesperson for them all. “My Princess, you of all people could demand our service, but you ask for it instead. Of course we will serve you.” If she could have dropped to her knees, she would have. Jarra could feel a similar sentiment in the others as well.

  Jarra’s pride for her team was even stronger than before. “Now you see why it was my duty to stop those drones at all costs. Now you see why I must try to clear a path through those mines to enable the Imperial ship that I believe has been shadowing us to safely transition out of hyperspace.”

  Sara realized something else. “Yeah, and I now understand why you hated that drone AI so much. It was a ver
y personal betrayal to you.”

  “Yes, although to my regret I lost control of my emotions there for a moment, I did take it quite personally.”

  All of this had happened in a scant few moments, but Jarra felt the connection stabilize as they realized once more that they had a task to complete; a task so difficult no one had ever attempted it before. Despite the fact she didn’t know if they could even survive, Jarra fiercely wanted to protect this team, the team that was now even closer to her than family. In a few minutes they would know if they had a chance at all.

  #

  The journey began simply, as many journeys did. Just as they used the old nautical term to describe the process of holding a ship in position, Galen weighed anchor to move them out of their position within the eddy. In reality, he shifted their hyperspace field shape from the configuration holding them in place to a configuration that allowed them to move. He went with a very conservative hyper field, but extended the edges out to give them more time to react.

  He warned them, “The destroyers may get a sensor ghost occasionally, but not enough to pinpoint our location, I hope. If they do spot us, we’ll probably never know what hit us.”

  The team gestalt acknowledged his statement, but they had their jobs to do and there was nothing they could do about it. Easing out into the hyperspace channel, they felt their way along, the team mind able to “see” the walls of the hyperspace canyon they were following. As the fields brushed the canyon walls, Gabo manipulated the reaction the fields produced to give them a visible indication, Galen instantly used that to give them a course plot, and Jarra directed the ship to follow that path. Sara oversaw it all, making sure the connection stayed strong and there wasn’t anything to slow down their connections.