Family Law 3: Secrets in the Stars (59 page)

“
Excellent. The
Fenris
needs to drop its drive field in three locations to make navigational checks on the course we believe it is taking. The ship has an older version of our warp drive, meaning our ship has twice its speed. So we have sufficient time to catch it at its second navigation check.”

“
What command will we be sending?” Stasia asked.

“
I’ve got the authorization codes and copies of its core programming. There wasn’t time to put together a program to do the job before we left. That will be your job, Stasia.”

Agent Mueller pointed at Rawn and Giran: “You two will be checking her code and making sure that it has no flaws. Our trip should take twenty six days, including two navigational stops, one at Expo and the other at Salvation. Our rendezvous is located in the Crossroads system, two light years west of the Bell system. We should arrive between twenty and thirty-six hours ahead of the
Fenris
. Data on the ship is in the computer. Disabling that ship is our objective, through any means necessary.”

Mel shivered at his words. She wondered if she’d have been safer on Thornhell.

Time: 1900 Zulu, 12 June 291 G.D.

Location: Crossroads System

There were many star systems which could be classed as high value. Harlequin Station was one such, with two life-bearing worlds, three metal rich asteroid belts, and gas giants to provide hydrogen for power generation.

If Harlequin Station was high value, then Crossroads was definitely low value. Its only value was to serve as a way-point for ships on their way to bigger and better places.

A number of small, icy rocks orbited the cold, tiny star... along with one large starship that emerged from warp exactly where the Guard Intelligence Agent had said it would be.

Mel felt a tingling along her spine. Reading about all the firepower that ship had was one thing. Knowing it might be aimed at her was quite another.

“
It’s
Fenris
,” Marcus stated. “Right on time.”

“
Unidentified craft, transmit identification codes or be fired upon.”

Everyone started at the voice. It was the voice of a man, gruff and gravelly. It didn’t sound like the soulless machine they’d all expected. The sound was dangerous and slightly sinister, but somehow also carried the overtones of irritation at the interruption and perhaps even a sense of boredom.

Agent Mueller nodded at Mel, “Transmit the codes, prepare the upload.”

Mel did so and then waited for what seemed to be an eternity.

“
Identification codes accepted,
John Kelly
.” Perhaps it was Mel’s fears talking, but the voice of the AI sounded slightly disappointed that it couldn’t open fire. “Transmit your data upload when ready.”

“
Do it.” Mueller said. He had a smile of triumph on his face.

“
Transmitting.” Mel said.

She watched as the laser transmitter made connection with the receiver on the other ship. As it began downloading the program, she released a sigh of relief.

“
Orders have been updated. Receiving programming update.” The voice modulated, changed. There was no boredom in its next transmission, only pure hostility: “Security protocols have been engaged. Primary programming cannot be compromised. This vessel will
not
be hijacked.”

“
Detecting the warp drive powering up.” Marcus yelped. “We’re being hit by targeting sensors.”

Agent Mueller looked around frantically, “Did the upload go through? What happened?”

Mel brought up the communications system on her screen. Her eyes widened as she realized someone else had also accessed the program from the engine room. The other user began to delete the upload as she watched.

She saved the file to a drive on her console, then opened the intercom to the engine console. “Rawn, someone’s trying to delete the program, stop whoever it is!”

“
What?” he answered. “What’s going on up there?”

“
Just stop them, lock the console.”

She brought up the security camera for the engine room, caught a sight of Rawn yelling something to Giran, and then Agent Mueller stepped in front of her view. “Was the upload complete?” he demanded.

“
It wasn’t. I can’t tell how complete it was either, because whoever tried deleting the file wiped the record of the transmission from the computer first.” Marcus said angrily. “It got the opening packet for certain, but I’m not sure beyond that.” He looked up from his console. “The
Fenris
just went into warp.”

Mel pushed Agent Mueller out of the way of the screen. She felt her stomach sink and her throat seemed to constrict as she forced the words out of her mouth, “We’ve got a bigger problem. Does anyone know where Giran got a gun and why he has it aimed at my brother?”

* * *

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