Wanderer - Tainted Universe

Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Jess stared at the others sitting around the living area. He found himself missing Elizabeth once again, both for her sense of humour and her cutting insight. So much of his life had changed since he gained his freedom, and kept changing, that the few friends he’d gathered had become vital to him.

The pain of losing first Matt and then Elizabeth cut deep. Though at least Elizabeth was leaving on good terms, and deep down he wished her well. Matt… Matt had been different. Even now, several weeks later, the pain of that betrayal refused to heal. He found himself suspecting those around him, watching them for signs of treachery.

At the moment that suspicion was focused squarely on Dash. Jess found himself liking Dash, but that just increased his worries. Dash had already shown himself to be an exceptionally shrewd operator, and to be manipulative, too. Jess was certain the betrayal by Hackett and Dash’s other men had been for real, but that wasn’t a guarantee Dash could be trusted.

Ali sat near to Jess, seemingly relaxed. Jess wasn’t fooled. He caught the slight tension in her body and the nervous glances she threw at Dash from time to time. He was certain Dash did too.

Sal sat away from the others, shoulders slumped. Jess wanted to go to her, to offer words of support and a hug, but he couldn’t bring himself to. He just couldn’t think of the right words to say. Another reason to miss Elizabeth, he thought. Since joining the ship she’d been there whenever Sal was struggling.

To his surprise Teeko, was in the room too. Jess had grown used to the alien hiding away in its room, sunk in gloom over the lack of progress finding others of its kind. Now, though, it stood in the living area with Ben, the young boy who had been one of the prisoners Jess and the others had freed.

Somehow, and Jess still hadn’t worked out how, Teeko had managed to get through solid walls to reach Ben. Investigating that was yet another thing Jess needed to get around to doing. Since then the boy and the alien had been inseparable. Standing on all legs, as it was now, Teeko resembled a brown furred table with four legs to a side. Ben sat on Teeko’s back, arms wrapped around its flexible neck. Teeko steadied the youngster with one arm. Ben seemed unconcerned by the sucker tipped appendages Teeko had instead of hands.

Despite the mystery of how Teeko had retrieved Ben, Jess was pleased it had happened. Having the youngster around was doing the alien good. Ben seemed happier too. He’d been separated from his mother just before being loaded onto the prisoner transports.

Jess had searched for her as soon as he heard Ben’s story, but she wasn’t aboard the Wanderer. It was possible she was on one of the other three ships. They’d know for certain once they reached Desolation and unloaded all the transports. Jess knew it was unlikely, though. The Empire seemed to take a perverse pleasure in breaking up groups of prisoners, splitting up friends and family members.

Telling Ben his mother wasn’t aboard had been doubly painful for Jess. He’d seen the pain in the young boy’s face, of course, but it had been matched by a deep wound of his own, one that would never heal fully. Jess had been split from his own mother in similar circumstances when even younger than Ben. He knew just how much pain Ben was in, and how isolated he’d be feeling amongst the group of adults. Ben was coping, though. Thriving even, with the help of Teeko.

And finally there was Dash. He seemed calm, despite the sense of urgency which gripped the others. In only a few minutes the Wanderer would drop out of jump space almost on top of Desolation. That was possible because there were no planets in the system, and Desolation had only a tiny mass when compared to a natural body.

Dash had explained it was important not to appear too far out for two reasons. First, it would make them seem a threat, as anyone with good reason to visit knew better. Second, the area was heavily mined. Any attempt to approach from further out would lead to the Wanderer being crippled or destroyed.

The explanation made sense to Jess but it still felt like an awful risk. Not so much for the Wanderer, she could jump away again immediately if needed, but for the other three ships.

“Do you have the codes ready to transmit?” Dash asked, interrupting Jess’s thoughts.

“Yes,” Jess replied. “All ready to send. How sure are you they’ll keep us safe?”

“The codes are good. We won’t have any trouble.”

Jess studied Dash carefully. He seemed calm, but was that just an act? Jess reached out to the Wanderer, accelerating his thoughts and making use of the ship’s internal sensors.

“How can you be sure?” Ali asked aggressively. “Your men already betrayed you once.”

“That was a mistake on my part,” Dash said. “I was distracted when Hackett put the team together. Desolation is completely different. The people there were chosen by me. They’ll have stayed loyal, no matter what else is happening.”

All smoothly delivered and believable, Jess thought. He’d even have believed it… if he hadn’t caught the twitch on Dash’s face at the mention of the betrayal. It had been the briefest of expressions, gone in a heartbeat, but to Jess’s accelerated mind it shone out.

There were no telltale reactions during the rest of Dash’s statement. He really seemed to believe those he’d chosen would stay loyal, or that was the impression he gave off.

“What if they’re gone?” Ali kept pushing. “What if they’ve been replaced by the same group that turned on you before?”

Once again Jess caught a brief flicker of something on Dash’s face. This time it looked as if he’d taken a bite of something unpleasant. Then it was gone again, wiped away from one moment to the next.

“Anyone who tried that would regret it,” Dash said, voice still calm. “Believe me.”

Jess thought for a moment. What should he do? Should he push Dash or let it go? He made his mind up.

“But you don’t believe it,” Jess said calmly. “I could tell. You’re worried about the chance we’ll get a hostile reception, and Hackett’s betrayal still stings you.”

This time several emotions flew across Dash’s face. Surprise, worry, irritation and anger. By the time he spoke they’d all gone.

“Really? And what makes you say that?”

Dash’s voice was gentle, but there was no mistaking the steel underneath. His eyes locked on Jess’s, glaring a challenge. Jess felt almost physically rocked back and started to look away, feeling cowed. Then anger flared to life in his chest. No! He would not back down. This was his ship. These were his friends. Dash was a guest, and one with much suspicion hanging over him at that. Jess forced himself to meet Dash’s gaze.

“This…” Jess said.

He gestured towards a wall where a screen flashed into life. It showed Dash in slow motion, the reactions clear on his face for all to see.

Dash and the others watched the screen. Jess watched Dash. Watched him and checked the Wanderer’s defences were ready for action. He didn’t particularly want to hurt Dash, he definitely didn’t want to kill the older man, but Jess wasn’t going to take any chances.

For a moment Jess thought he’d need to use the defences. Anger twisted Dash’s face as he watched the slow motion display of his earlier reactions. His body vibrated slightly, as if straining to lash out. Jess waited, ready to fire the weapons the moment Dash moved.

Then Dash took a deep breath, followed by another. The anger seemed to drain out of his body. Jess relaxed slightly as the danger seemed to recede, but left the weapons armed and targeted. He wasn’t convinced this wasn’t another ploy. Dash smiled tightly at Jess.

“I just keep on underestimating you, Jess, don’t I? You’re right. Hackett’s betrayal cut me deeply. I lost someone recently. Dozer. My best friend and a great second officer. Hackett’s betrayal, following so close on Dozer’s death, made me realise how many of those close to me I’d lost down the years, and how few of those now around me I could truly trust.

“Am I sure those I left running Desolation will be friendly? Yes. Am I sure they haven’t been replaced and possibly killed? No. And there’s no way of telling without going there. In fact, I’ll probably have to go into the base personally to be sure.”

“Why lie?” Sal asked coldly. “Other than the obvious reason, you seem incapable of telling the truth.”

Jess didn’t need his mind sped up to see the hurt on Dash’s face at her words. It must have been clear to the others, though Jess wasn’t sure Sal would let herself see it.

Dash composed himself and gestured around the room.

“I’m not exactly trusted. I don’t blame you. I led you into great danger, then brought troops aboard the ship who tried to kill you, and yet you’re having to trust me. You’re having to trust the base is what I say it is, and that you’ll be safe there. I didn’t think adding my own worries would be particularly constructive.”

“So you lied,” Sal said. “Again.”

“No… well, yes… but…”

Jess stared at Dash in surprise. Sal’s attack seemed to have stripped him of all his confidence and certainty, leaving him tongue-tied. And Jess was pretty sure this was for real. He almost felt sorry for Dash. Ali had left him in the same state many times.

“… it wasn’t really a lie,” Dash finally managed to say. “The people I left in charge of Desolation really would make anyone attacking them pay a heavy price. They aren’t invincible, though. I have no idea how big the movement to overthrow me is. It’s certainly possible it was big enough to take Desolation.”

“You must be keen to get back in charge, then,” Ali said in a voice which could only be described as warm if it was compared to Sal’s.

Dash sat for a moment, weighing up his answer, before speaking in a soft voice.

“No. Not at all. It was never what I intended. One thing just led to another, and then I had too many responsibilities to stop, to change things.”

“And now you don’t?” Jess asked.

“I used to think so, but… no. There are other ways I can help people, make things better. You’ve reminded me of that, all of you. I don’t know what I’ll do yet, but things will be different.”

“Won’t other people come after you if you do that?” Jess asked. He was intrigued now, despite himself.

“Yeah. I’ll always be looking over my shoulder, unless I can make a totally clean break. Maybe I could come...”

“Oh s**t!” Jess shouted as a warning chimed in his mind. “We’re only thirty seconds out from Desolation!”

Dealing with Dash had distracted Jess. The others looked shocked, even Dash. Well, the other humans. Sometimes Jess could read some of Teeko’s body language, but mostly the alien was a closed book, as it was now.

“At least we won’t be wondering about our reception much longer,” Sal said darkly.

Jess just grunted as he forced his mind to its maximum acceleration. Only seventeen seconds remained, but that was far more time than he needed with his mind accelerated by his implants. He quickly brought the Wanderer to battle ready status, then reviewed the pattern for dropping out of jump space.

The Wanderer would drop out slightly after the other ships, putting her closer to the base. She was far tougher than the three freighters. If the reception was hostile then Jess hoped to buy enough time for the other three ships to escape before the Wanderer had to jump out.

Ideally he would have been on the flight deck as they arrived, but there was no time now. It made no difference to his ability to control the Wanderer, everything was done through the implanted interface that meshed with his brain, but the flight deck had chairs better suited to violent changes of direction. Jess mentally shrugged. There was nothing he could do about it now.

Then he settled down to wait. With only a few seconds to go he felt the familiar presence of Ali as she activated her own implants. Sal followed soon after. Neither spoke. Nor did Jess, but he drew comfort from having them near, and knowing they would offer advice if he needed it.

They couldn’t keep up with the speed of his thoughts, though. The implants they carried in their heads were nowhere near as extensive as Jess’s own. His implants made him an essential part of the ship. A terrifying prospect when it first happened, yet something he happily accepted now. In fact, he found it hard to imagine life without the Wanderer’s presence. Wherever he went the connection remained.

Jess’s implants were special, the ship had told him. Only one set ever existed at a time, used to link the ship and its captain, though captain didn’t do the reality justice. Jess felt he was part captain, part navigator, part advisor and part biological computer component. It was a view the ship hadn’t denied.

Sal and Ali’s implants were much simpler, allowing them to connect to the ship and control robots and drones. The implants allowed them to accelerate their thoughts, too, though not anywhere near the level Jess could.

The moment arrived. The Wanderer tore its way back into real space, just after the three ships it escorted. They emerged almost on top of the bulky pirate base, a number of combat ships and several wicked looking free floating defence platforms.

Jess immediately started to send out the codes Dash had supplied, hoping that they could avoid a fight. He kept his mind accelerated, making sure he’d be ready for any attack.

Now he experienced the downside of accelerating his thoughts. The wait to discover whether the codes were accepted or not would have been torture at the best of times. Now Jess had to wait for what would feel like chunks of an hour to him, rather than seconds, all with virtually nothing changing around him.

He gritted his teeth. Whatever happened he was determined to be as ready as possible. If that meant waiting for hours of subjective time then so be it. For the sake of his friends, and the ex-prisoners on all four ships, he would wait to see if the response was friendly or hostile… however long it took.