CHAPTER 28

TYNDALE

I.S.A Tyndale – Hanger Bay

Once they were on board, they quickly closed the ramp behind themselves and did a quick check of the ship.

Sam went to the bridge. It was a simple two-seat cockpit. She took one seat, and John took the other.

'Check in, what have we got?' Sam asked into her communicator.

'There are computer banks and equipment I don't recognize in the hold, Captain, I think this was a research vessel,' Ise reported.

'Sixth gen Nico-Vens Ion engine for sub-light, and a second gen jump drive for faster than light. Not a fast ship, but it could keep going for a long time with minimal supplies. I'm trying to start up the engines now,' Jing reported.

'Fuel supplies?'

'About one third remaining in storage.' Jing said.

'Will it be enough?' John asked, powering up the bridge systems.

'I don't know, I've never worked on a jump drive older than fourth gen.'

'Ise, does this thing have its own Guardian?' Sam asked.

'I checked for any uplinks on standby and got nothing. I think we're flying on our own.'

John let out a slow whistle, 'This thing is really old. Almost everything with a jump drive has got a Guardian these days.'

'How are we going to run the jump calculations without one? How did they run them without one back then?' Ise asked.

Sam accessed her flight controls and looked at the systems coming online, 'We've got a nav computer. It can handle short jumps. We'll have to fly out of the system on the ion drive before we can use the jump drive though, it can't handle a jump this deep into the star's gravity field.'

John turned on his nav computer and looked at it for a moment, 'It'll take at least a month at sub-light!'

'Do we have long-range comms?' Sam asked.

'No captain, the long-range FTL signaler has been disabled,' Ise reported.

'Jing, when you finish with the engines, go have a look,' Sam ordered.

'Aye captain.'

'This is a fine scrap heap Exo gave us,' Sam said to John.

'It'll fly and get us home,' John said, 'provided we've got enough supplies.'

Sam frowned and activated her comms. 'Has anyone found any food supplies?'

'Yes Captain, there's some in the hold,' Ise reported.

'Is it still good?' Sam asked.

'I have nothing to check it with, but it's in some superb cryo storage, and its long life emergency supplies.'

'How much do we have?' Sam asked.

'I'll do a count and get back to you,' Ise said.

An indicator flashed to life telling Sam the engines were coming on line.

'John, get us moving,' Sam said.

'So, we're just going to go?' John asked.

Sam hesitated, with her hands on the controls. The hum of the ship ran through her like a song. It felt strange and familiar at the same time. It felt like an ending.

'Yeah. It's time to go. The sooner we get going, the sooner we can get back here and try to get Daniel back.'

John moved his hands across the controls. The hum of the ship changed pitch, 'If we go back out there, we have weapons. The robots wouldn't be able to do much. We could fight our way through.'

'We'd have no way of getting into the lower levels. We'd be back to square one with no way to advance. We have to go.'

John nodded. 'Okay Captain.'

'Captain Samantha, I detect the ship is coming on line, I will open the launch doors now,' Exo said, over the comms.

Through the cockpit, Sam watched as a crack opened along the roof of the hanger, revealing the stars above. The ship jerked as it pushed off the floor. They passed through the opening and moved away from the planet.

***

Daniel woke up slowly. He felt strange. Something was missing, but he couldn't quite figure it out. He sat up and regretted the choice. A flash of pain caused him to reach to the back of his neck. He felt something protruding, and the surrounding area was tender. Dan looked down and noticed he wasn't wearing his space suit anymore. He took a breath and felt how much easier it was to breathe.

'Are you feeling all right Daniel?'

'Yes,' Daniel said, looking around. He was on a table surrounded by equipment. A robot was standing off to one side watching him, 'Oh! It's all coming back now.'

'You make it sound like a bad thing has happened to you. I have saved your life. I have given you the opportunity to give me life once again. You will make history,' the robot stepped toward Dan, 'Now, let us begin.'

Daniel raised a hand. 'Not so fast, I'd like to talk to my captain.'

'You are all most difficult. I'll be happy to be rid of the rest of them. I'll open you a communication channel,' Exo said.

A moment passed, and the robot nodded.

'Captain?' Daniel said, hesitating.

'Daniel? Are you all right? How are you? What's going on?' Sam replied, her words coming fast.

'I'm fine Samantha... I'm fine. Every thing's fine,' he paused, 'How are you?'

'We're on a ship Daniel. We're getting out of here. We... we couldn't get to you, Dan. I'm sorry.'

Daniel could feel her torment at that statement.

'I know. It's all right. I know you tried. I wasn't going to make it, anyway. I was in rough shape.'

'I told you to take it easy Dan,' Sam said.

Dan chuckled. 'You did. I got impatient. Sorry to make you worry.'

'Do you think I'll stop worrying now?'

Daniel smiled to himself. 'No, but you've got something better to worry about now. You've got to get everyone else out of here. It's your duty Captain.'

'I know Daniel. I know. We're going. This thing's not that fast.' Sam said.

'Hey. We all knew there was a chance some of us wouldn't make it back. It's always been a risk of the job,' Daniel said.

'I know. Just... try to stay alive,' Sam said.

'Exo has no use for a dead man,' Dan commented.

'We're starting our main drive now. We'll be moving out of the system, but this thing isn't too fast. Check in with me as much as you can.'

'I'll see what I can do Captain,' Daniel said.

The communication channel shut off. Exo's robot stepped in front of Daniel.

'Now may we begin?'

'How do we start?'

'I bring your advocate uplink on line, and we link. Stand up please.'

Daniel stood, and the robot turned him around. Daniel could hear it doing something but felt nothing. After a moment, something new exploded in his senses. He staggered forward onto the bed, his mind spinning.

'Hello Advocate,' said a voice in his head.

'Is this what Ise went through all the time?' Daniel said. He tried to stand up, but a wave of vertigo kept him down.

'Try to think your replies in your mind.'

'What did you do?' Daniel replied.

'I have only installed an advocate uplink. No other advocate systems are present within you. I desired to maintain your humanity as much as I could.'

'I feel I've been thrown in a blender.'

'It will take time to adapt. Advocates start as children normally. The children develop with the systems in place and grow up having them present. Adapting to it as an adult is difficult, but we have time,' Exo said.

Daniel tried to stand up again and took a shaky step back. His foot missed its mark, and he fell down. He hit his back against some equipment and cried out in pain.

'E-e-xqsuite,' said Exo with a stutter, 'M-m-ore.'