CHAPTER 30

GREAT MIND'S ENEMY

Error... System overload.

System usage 100%

Memory transmission buffers overloaded.

Overload source, Advocate uplink feedback.

Processing time, two hours, forty minutes.

...

Abort.

Aborting memory transmission.

...

Transmissions cancelled.

System stabilizing.

Advocate uplink status... offline.

Advocate is incapacitated, medical status, critical.

Ship approaching.

...

Objectives: stabilize the advocate.

Protect the Advocate.

End Objectives.

...

Analyzing situation.

Approaching ship unarmed.

Scramble drones to deal with the ship.

Advocate critical.

Conservatory discovered.

Place Advocate in medical stasis

Dispatch Advocate to other XO-33 sub unit facility with superior medical supplies.

...

Execute plan.

***

Sam and John sat in the cockpit of the Tyndale, as it flew back toward the rogue planet they had just left. It's dark silhouette obscured the stars behind it.

'Still no sign of any activity,' Sam said, looking at her display.

'When he said he'd stop us, I thought he might try something while we're on approach.'

'Hold that thought. I've got something coming from the surface,' Sam said.

She looked at her sensor read out and saw a cluster of contacts moving towards them.

'Ships, moving in formation, on an intercept course.'

'What now? This ship hasn't got weapons,' John said.

'Ise?' Sam said into her comms.

'Yes captain?'

'Can you and Victor jam Exo's link to these drones?'

'We'll try. Need time though.'

'Work on it, I've got no promises of time,' Sam said.

Sam looked to John. John was angling the ship toward the hanger they had left from.

Sam flicked on the ships communication system, 'I.S.A. Tyndale to XO-33, please allow us entry. We are unarmed and pose no threat, but we will not survive a trip in this ship.'

The drones split into two groups and fell into formation on either side of the ship.

'Reverse your course or be destroyed,' came the reply.

Something showed up on the sensors. Another ship moving close to the planets surface. It was bigger than the drones.

'John, move us away. We've got to deal with the drones first.'

'Aye captain.'

John turned the ship, and Sam watched as the drones kept going forward, heading toward the new ship by the surface.

'What the heck is going on?' Sam said. She turned on the comm system again, 'This is the I.S.A. Tyndale to unidentified ship, you are in danger, please respond.'

'Shirp knows how to stop great mind's ships.'

'Shirp? What are you doing?'

'Great mind controls ships through towers on surface. Shirp destroy tower, ships stop,' came the reply.

'How did you get out of there?' Sam asked.

'Shirp found ship with weapons. Opened door forcefully,' Shirp replied

'How do you know how to fly the ship?' Sam asked.

'Shirp find ship of kin. Great mind has visited Shirp's kin. Great mind is enemy of kin. Shirp was here to find great mind. Shirp must return and tell kin of great mind's location,' Shirp said.

There was a flash of light on the surface of the planet as something exploded. On the sensors, the drones continued their forward course, but as Shirp's ship flew away, the drones didn't change course. They slammed into the surface, showing up as pin pricks of light in the dark.

Shirp's craft angled away from the planet.

'Shirp is leaving now.'

'Safe journey Shirp,'

'Same,' Shirp replied.

Shirp's ship on the sensor feed accelerated, moving further and further away.

'Let's go get a new ship.' Sam said.

***

External communication array destroyed.

Drone control offline.

Synchronization systems offline.

Memory uplink offline.

XO-33 sub unit 49 switched to independent operations.

Danger; cessation of operation will cause loss of experiences for XO-33 greater network.

Further Advocate experiences in danger of loss.

Priorities: Resume link with XO-33 greater network.

Continue evacuation of Advocate to other XO-33 sub unit.

...

Hostile ship approaching hanger bay.

Hanger bay adequate choke point.

Redeploying assets.