Wanderer 3: Tainted Universe (41 page)

But… maybe it wouldn’t have to be like that.  Not with the
Wanderer
’s technology at his command.  He’d already seen that the Empire was in trouble.  It was falling to the Taint.  Only the Quarantine Zone was preventing an all out rout.  Why should Vorn obey the old rules?

When he returned he would be bringing technology beyond anything the Empire had seen before.  Why should he come crawling back on his knees, begging forgiveness?  Shouldn’t he return proudly, head held high, leading those who had helped him?  The shortcuts he’d taken to get there, the forbidden steps, shouldn’t matter in the least.  Only the chance he brought, the hope, the light, should matter.

He made his mind up.  A quick call to the captain of the
Shogan
left the captain promising to keep the prisoner locked up but safe from all harm.

Vorn cut the link, satisfied that his message had got across.  Then he checked the tracking device.  Sure enough, the
Wanderer
was maintaining a course straight away from the fleet.  Either that or it had stopped somewhere for repairs.  It didn’t matter.  Vorn knew which direction his prey lay in.  Without ceremony he had the fleet gather and prepare to launch.

His officers carried out the instructions quickly and efficiently.  The fact the admiral hadn’t exploded in anger after the
Wanderer
escaped wasn't comforting.  They knew from experience that the danger was far from over.

Vorn waited until the jump was well underway then started entering the codes to unlock the Omega Beam.  It was a long process with many pauses.  The weapon was deliberately made difficult to access, to prevent the temptation to use it in a battle that was going wrong.  It couldn’t be activated in less than four hours.  Unless the
Wanderer
had managed a very short hop Vorn was certain they’d have that long.

The captain suddenly froze, staring at his screen.  Vorn allowed himself a slight smile.  The captain had just received notice that the Omega Beam was being prepared.  He was one of the handful of people on the ship with knowledge of the weapon.

After a few moments he looked up, meeting Vorn’s eyes.  Vorn half expected to see shock in the man’s eyes, or fear.  Instead the captain looked excited.  Vorn nodded slightly in response and the captain looked down again, smiling.

Vorn was pleased.  The captain would deploy the weapon enthusiastically rather than reluctantly.  There would be no hesitation.  No doubts.  No delays.  When the time came the captain would relish unleashing the Omega Beam on the
Wanderer
.

Chapter Forty-Eight

The
Wanderer
flushed more and more traps from Jess’s body.  He remained curled up, all his attention turned inward.  Finally the last of the traps were neutralised.  Jess still didn’t react.  The
Wanderer
insistently nudged at him, trying to get a response.

Jess wasn’t ignoring the
Wanderer
.  He wasn’t even aware of its presence.  Everything that had happened recently had become too much.  The pain, the fear, the danger and especially the loss of Ali.  Unable to cope he had shut down, shut everything out.

Finally Jess started to register the
Wanderer
’s messages.  He resisted to begin with.  He felt safe where he was.  Time had no meaning.  Future, past and present were gone, as were all thoughts and all worries.  He floated surrounded by soft whiteness that nothing could ever penetrate.

Until the messages did.  Jess couldn’t comprehend them, but he knew what they meant.  Something was intruding on his tranquillity.  Something sharp and pointed.  Something he wanted nothing to do with.  Something that he tried his hardest to ignore.

It was useless.  The more he tried to ignore the messages, the more active his mind became.  The tranquillity was disrupted by annoyance and anger.  Why couldn’t he be left alone?  Alone with his pain.

Finally he stirred.  His body felt stiff and he had trouble straightening.  If gravity had existed in that place then he’d have tumbled to the floor.  His mind felt sluggish.

The
Wanderer
waited patiently now, no longer pushing for Jess’s attention.  Jess sent a grumpy message of his own back to it.

“
All right.  You’ve got my attention.  What is it?”

The reply was strong and clear.  It was time for Jess to return to his own body.  He paused for a moment, considering everything that had happened in the virtual realm he occupied.  There was nothing he wished to stay for.  With a terse nod of the head he severed the link, returning to the real world.

*****

Jess groaned at the stiffness in his body, the shooting pains that crashed over him with every movement.  His body had lain unmoving for several hours of real time.  While not cold or damp the corridors of the
Wanderer
’s main hold hadn’t been designed with sleeping in mind.

“
Jess friend hurt is?” Teeko asked.

“
No Teeko,” Jess croaked.  “I’m just stiff.  My muscles have cramped up.”

Jess struggled into a sitting position, then lent back against the wall.  The corridor they were in was empty and there was no sign of any fighting.

“Are you alright Teeko?  Did the troopers find us again?”

“
Fine am I.  Troopers not find.  Friend Jess safe kept.  Friend Jess successful was?”

Jess frowned.  Had he been successful?  The
Wanderer
was safe from the tainted attack.  It had escaped the Imperial fleet and was safe in jump space.  The troopers remained a problem but everything else had been resolved.  Jess had achieved everything he set out to.

It didn’t feel like he’d succeeded though.  At best Ali was frozen along with the Taint, her body sealed away.  Dash and Ben too.  At the worst all three of them were gone, completely replaced by the Taint.  Sal too, wherever she now was.

“The ship is safe,” Jess said finally.  “Ali, Dash and Ben are safe but… well, frozen is the best description.  Sal got off the ship in a shuttle, so she isn’t a danger anymore.  To us at least.”

“
Tired friend Jess is.  Rest friend Jess should.”

Jess nodded, fighting a yawn.

“Yes.  We should go back to the living area though.  Are you able to take us?”

“
Yes.  Go now friend Jess?”

“
Yes.”

Teeko stepped closer, then wrapped his arms around Jess.  Jess tensed, uncertain what to expect from the process.  Both previous times he had been locked within the virtual world of the
Wanderer
.

Blinding white light surrounded them, forcing Jess to close his eyes.  A heavy force pulled him forwards.  This time there was no tearing feeling though.  No pain.

The sensation lasted a few seconds then stopped abruptly.  The light disappeared at the same time.  Jess blinked, looking around.  They were in Teeko’s room.  Even wide awake and using the
Wanderer
’s sensors Jess had no idea how Teeko had managed to travel.  He knew what it wasn’t though.  It didn’t involve jump space.

Teeko headed towards the large bath.  The alien moved slowly.  Its head weaved unsteadily on its long neck.  Jess had the
Wanderer
start filling the bath.

“
Teeko, are you all right?”

“
Tired am Jess friend.  Tired am.  Rest will.  Sleep will.”

Teeko eased into the partly filled bath, letting out a hiss of pleasure.  Jess smiled.  Despite all the ways in which Teeko was so alien, Jess knew Teeko was a good friend.  The smile disappeared as he realised Teeko was his only friend on the ship now, other than the
Wanderer
itself.  He moved to stand beside the bath.

“
Teeko, thank you.  You saved my life at least three times just in the past few hours.  And several times before as well.”

One of Teeko’s arms rose from the water.  The sucker tipped appendage on the end gently gripped Jess’s hand.  The touch was different than that of a human, but not unpleasant.  Not cold or slimy.  In fact Teeko’s skin was warmer than Jess’s.

“Welcome most Jess friend.  Same do Teeko would.”

Jess took a moment to unscramble the last sentence, which was even more cryptic than Teeko’s normal speech.  Then it clicked.

“Yes Teeko.  I’d do the same for you.  Any time.  Sleep well friend.”

Jess gently squeezed Teeko’s appendage, and felt it squeeze back just as gently.  Then Teeko’s arm slid back into the water which filled three quarters of the bath now.  Teeko’s bulk was taking most of the space in the bath.  Teeko closed its eyes and relaxed.  Almost all of its body was under the water.  Its head bobbed at the surface.

Jess smiled at his friend, then turned to leave.  He was desperately tired himself, but there was still one thing left to deal with.  The troopers.  They had escaped the area Jess had tried to confine them within and were back to cutting through walls relatively quickly.  They were heading for the jump engines again, and were getting too close for comfort.

Jess had had enough.  The troopers made everything more difficult, and right at that moment they prevented him getting any sleep.  The sooner they were gone the better.

Jess left Teeko’s room and turned towards the room he and Ali shared.  He stopped before the door could open, grief squeezing his heart.  He couldn’t do it.  He couldn’t enter the room that he and Ali had spent so much time in.  Glancing around he knew the other two rooms, Sal’s and Dash’s, were also out of bounds.  Especially Sal’s.  Ben was in there, trapped by the
Wanderer
’s specialised shield.

The only place available was the flight deck.  That would have been fine, but reaching it meant crossing the living area.  That was the worst room of all.  The room he and Ali shared might strongly remind him of Ali, but the living area was where she actually was… or where her body was at least.

He wouldn’t be able to see her.  The flickering shields around her and Dash had become larger, more opaque, and prevented any glimpse of those inside.  It didn’t matter.  He knew she was there.

Steeling himself he started towards the door.  He got halfway before stumbling to a halt again.  If he stepped through the door, if he saw the flickering prison that contained Ali, then it would bring everything smashing home.  He couldn’t cope with that.  Not now.  He already felt fragile.  That would be too much.

But he had to reach the flight deck.  He couldn’t stay in the corridor outside the bedrooms.  Taking a shuddering breath he stepped forward.  First one foot, then another.  He reached the door, heard it open and stepped through.

He didn’t see Ali, or the shimmering shield that contained her.  His face was turned down, his eyes streaming with tears.  He navigated using the most basic of the
Wanderer
’s internal sensors, ensuring he couldn’t see Ali’s prison in any way.

He shuffled across the floor, taking a large detour around first Dash and then Ali before moving towards the flight deck.

Somehow he made it through the first door, into the short corridor.  He let out a sob as the door closed behind him, sealing off Ali and Dash.  He finally looked up, but he could see almost nothing through the tears.

Still relying on the
Wanderer
’s sensors Jess stumbled through the far door and onto the flight deck.  He moved to the pilot’s chair and collapsed into it, burying his face in his hands.

He wanted to feel Ali’s arms around him, her body pressed against him.  He wanted to smell her perfume and to hear her say everything would work out.  All he wanted was the one thing he knew he couldn’t have.  Ali.

*****

Over time Jess moved from sorrow to anger. Anger at the Taint for having stolen Ali away. Anger at the fleet chasing the
Wanderer
for forcing them into this position.

As for the troopers… anger wasn’t a strong enough word. The fear and worry over those troopers had allowed the Taint to get on board, and allowed it to take hold. It was their fault that Jess had lost Ali. It was their fault that she had suffered and probably died. They needed to pay for what they had done. They had to pay!

How though? Their armour made it difficult to destroy them. The
Wanderer
had strong enough weapons, but they weren’t mobile. How could he force the troopers close enough to be killed?

Then a cold grin spread across his face. His definition of weapons had been too narrow. They had something portable that was more than powerful enough to destroy the troopers. They had the mining drones.

Linking to the
Wanderer
he activated three of them. They were small enough to navigate the internal corridors, though not easily. It didn’t matter. They were more than tough enough to withstand the frequent bangs and scrapes, and the interior of the
Wanderer
could be repaired easily enough.

Jess didn’t bother with subtlety or a plan. He held two of the drones out of sight and had the third charge forwards. The troopers reacted immediately, weapons blazing at the incoming drone. It was tough. Most of the bullets bounced off. Those that penetrated didn’t do any significant damage.

Jess unleashed the mining laser. He caught two of the troopers in the initial blast. The energy unleashed was enough to vaporise several metres of solid rock. The troopers advanced armour melted like wax as it was subjected to levels of energy it had never been designed to withstand.

The beam kept going, punching through walls and floors, cutting a swathe of destruction through the
Wanderer
. Jess had ensured nothing critical was in the line of fire, but he was still surprised at just how far it had penetrated — fully halfway through the ship.

Three troopers stood their ground, spreading out and continuing to pour fire into the drone. The rest raced away, diving into side rooms or charging for another corridor.

“Run all you want,” Jess spat.  “You’re all going to die!”

They couldn’t hear him, but he knew they got the message anyway.  Shifting the drone sideways he had it fire again. One of the three troopers standing their ground ceased to exist, as did another who had been hiding behind a wall. Jess grinned fiercely, his heart beating fast. Not only was he killing the hated troopers, he was making them feel helpless.

One of the two troopers fighting back got lucky. A bullet found a weak spot within the drones casing.  The drone crashed to the floor in a shower of sparks. Before the troopers could begin to regroup Jess brought the other two drones into action.

He didn’t move them now he knew the
Wanderer
’s structure made no real difference to the their attacks. He had each drone target one of the troopers fighting a rearguard action. The lasers punched straight through the walls, through the two troopers and then deep into the ship.

Only three troopers remained. Two had dived into nearby rooms but were holding position. The third was sprinting away as fast as they could manage. Jess frowned, not understanding what the two thought they would gain by hiding.

Then he realised. They were trying to ambush the drones. Trying to hide nearby until the drones were close enough to destroy. In another situation it might have been a good choice. It had probably worked for them on many occasions. Despite everything that had happened since the troopers boarded the
Wanderer
, they still didn’t understand how different an enemy the ship was.