Chapter VII: Starfall

"Yes, Rick. Shields took a twenty-two percent hit."

"Fire main weapon."

"Unable to comply. Charging sequence not finished. Fifteen more seconds required."

"Fire as soon as possible," said Rick. He examined the main tactical display, looking for any solution. According to the chart, there was a star system nearby. "Aia, after you fire, change course to zero-nine-three mark zero-two-four."

"Yes. Will comply. Firing main weapon." The lights on the ship dimmed as a torrent of faster-than-light energized particles erupted from the throat of the Star Ghost's primary beam. The shot hit the shield of the garasian ship, paused a moment, then burst through, just as the power gave out. "Hit," reported Aia. "Minimal damage to pirate. Cabin area breached. Changing course."

The tactical view skewed around as the Star Ghost made a radical change in its vector, now heading for the local star. The pirate ship changed course to follow. It entered weapon range again, and the ship shook as the shields absorbed more damage. "Aia, prepare to launch six torpedoes, at six second intervals, on my mark." Rick watched the tactical display, and the ship shook again. "Mark!"

"Torpedoes launching. Shields down eighty-four percent. We are being fired upon by four banks of twin, beta grade warp particle cannons. Estimate survival now at zero six percent," reported Aia. The torpedoes began exploding in the path of the pirate, which changed course to move away. The third torpedo impacted on the pirate ship, but sensors could not determine how much damage it took. The explosions were making accurate sensor readings difficult. More beams raked across the Star Ghost's hull. Finally, as the sixth torpedo detonated, the explosion obscured the pirate ship, and disrupted the sensor lock.

"Aia, change course to three fifty one mark three forty two. Now!" yelled Rick. The Star Ghost leaped to comply, and warning lights flashed as the ship entered a star's gravity well. "All stop," cried Rick. There was a lurching sensation as the ship canceled its warp field, causing the Star Ghost to drop into normal space.

"Power down, minimal life support," ordered Rick. The lights went dark, and the control panels blacked out as Aia shut down all systems. Small safety lights illuminated the deck in dim light.

"Orders?" asked Aia.

"Wait. With luck, the torpedoes would have covered our drop to normal space, and we should remain hidden from Blackcoat's sensors here in the star's gravity well. What was the final damage total to us?"

"Shields ninety-six percent depleted. It will require maintenance and recharging before they will be effective. How long do we wait, Rick?"

"At least until I get the maintenance done on the shields," replied Rick. "Then we'll see." Rick stood up.

"The repairs to the shield generator are estimated at two hours. All materials for the repairs are available."

"Great. I'll go check on Jamie, and then see to the repairs."

"Great," replied Aia. Rick glanced at the console for a second, shook his head, and left the control deck.

Jamie was strapped down on the bunk. Her shipsuit was in disarray from speed by which she put it on. She smiled as Rick entered the cabin. "What happened?"

Rick sat down on the side of the bunk and plucked at her straps. "You can get out of those. We're done moving for a while. We ditched them, I think, but I have to do some repairs before we move again."

"That's why the power's out?" asked Jamie. Rick nodded. "So unless Blackcoat finds us, we're not moving?" Rick nodded again. "Good. Then nothing can interrupt us again." As she spoke, she undid the straps that held her to the bunk, then stood up and undid the fasteners to her shipsuit. Rick watched in amazement as she slowly stripped the suit from her body, slowly revealing herself to him as her scent filled the room. She leaned over and kissed him, and continued to lean forward until they fell back together against the bunk.

Rick woke up, feeling cramped. He wiggled a little, and discovered the reason why he was feeling squeezed. Jamie was tight against him, pinning him between her almost inexhaustible body and the cabin wall. Rick smiled as he replayed various recent scenes in his mind. He looked for his watch, which was resting on the desk in the small cabin. He reached over and got it, and turned it around until he could see the face. Five hours had passed since they entered the gravity well.

He slowly and tenderly worked his way over Jamie's body, trying not to wake her. He found himself regretting the necessity of having to get up. He wanted to wake her up and do everything all over again. This was the first major sexual event in his life, and he wanted it to last as long as he could. However, there was the call to duty. He had been lax enough in delaying the repairs already, and they couldn't stay in the gravity well forever. The ship had to leave the well before its orbit decayed enough to sent the small ship plunging into the star. And unless he repaired the shields before they left, they'd be a sitting duck for Blackcoat.

He quickly made use of the toilet facilities, and got dressed. Jamie didn't stir at all as he made his preparations. She didn't even react as he kissed her. Rick smiled down at her. Considering what they did together, he was surprised that he woke when he did. He left the cabin, and the hatch quietly slid shut.

Rick moved down the corridor to the power section. It was only three meters away. "What's our status, Aia?"

"Nominal. We have three hours before we have to move. Time is running short. I almost sounded the alarm again to get you up."

"Sorry about that. It'll only take two hours to repair, right?" asked Rick.

"That was an estimate. If there was additional damage, it will take longer."

"Fine. Well, give me as much time as you can, then move the ship to safety. Let's hope Blackcoat has more important things to do other than waiting for us to reappear."

"Yes, Rick."

Rick entered the power room, and opened a small cabinet that contained maintenance tools. He located the shield generator coils and looked them over. "Aia, can you display the schematics on the screen down here please?"

The local terminal flashed on, and Rick twisted the display screen around so he could examine the diagrams. "This increases the chances of our being spotted, Rick."

"Sorry. I need the plans. I'm not familiar enough with this new model to repair it in the dark. Speaking of which, can you give me a little more light in here?"

The lights in the power room slowly brightened. Rick waited until he could read all the warning labels in fine print posted on the shield generator. "There, that's fine. The power room is shielded against leakage anyway, Aia, so I don't think we’ll be spotted."

"Yes, Rick," said Aia, in what sounded suspiciously like a tone of resignation. Rick shook his head again and opened the access panel to the generator, and began working.

Meanwhile, several light years away on Luna, two dark robed men knocked, then entered the Commandant's office. Andrea Gunn looked up at them. She sat back in her chair, trying to hide the disgust in her voice. "Well?"

The taller of the two strangers spoke. "All goes well. The sacrifice is almost in place."

Andrea jumped up. "Sacrifice? Explain."

The shorter robed one shrugged. "All is still fluid. Time is like the sand running through your fingers. It follows it's own path. None can dictate to it. However, greatest success lays with the acceptance and death of the sacrifice."

"You didn't mention that he might die when you first brought this up," said Andrea.

"Would your decision have been different if you knew?" asked the tall one. "The events must be timed precisely for time to flow our way. Your son gave the best probability of success. Even his death must occur at just the right time."

Andrea gripped the edges of her desk. Damn, they were right. She hated that. The precogs had all seen the possible destruction of the Stellar Patrol, and the possible subjugation of Earth. Rick, like herself, was a soldier, and it was a soldier's task to die in necessary to protect Earth. Just because it happened to be her son up on the line this time didn't change anything. If it was his time, there was nothing she could do about it, even if the Joint chiefs of staff hadn't approved the precog's plan. Andrea never liked psis, and this current fiasco only reinforced her feelings.

"How long has he got?" asked Andrea.

"Ah, the mother talks. Soon, I'm afraid. He is headed for a trap from which there will be no escape. Within the week."

Andrea collapsed in her chair. Only a couple short days ago, she sent her only child, bright and full of energy, out into space, only to meet his doom. She laid her head down on the desk.

The taller of the robed figures motioned to the other, and they left quietly. Soon, the only sound in the room was the gentle sobbing of a mother.

The robe figures paused outside the door. "She is in great pain. Shouldn't we tell her?" asked the shorter one.

The tall one shook his head. "The chance that he would find the one path through the challenge is incalculable. It was only seen by one precog, and his reliability has been questionably lately. Allow her to accept the inevitable, and not fill her with false hopes."

The shorter one was still for a minute, then nodded in agreement. He placed one hand briefly on the door in consolation, then they departed for the travel tube.

Rick wiped off his hands and stood up. "Time check, please."

"Forty-five minutes before orbit destabilizes."

"Plenty of time." Rick replaced the housing covers. "How are the repairs?"

Aia was silent for a few moments. "Complete. The unit should function within operational parameters."

"So it'll work then?" asked Rick.

"Yes. I believe I said that, Rick."

"Just teasing you, Aia. You still sound too much like a computer."

"I understand. It is found that it takes a few weeks for the adjustment in vocabulary to create the illusion of a person, rather than a computer. Since I am a computer, I do not worry about it."

"Aia, you are not just a computer. You're an AI. One of the best we've developed. They say that not only will your vocabulary adjust, but that you'll actually develop a unique personality. You are the closest thing that Humans have done to creating life. Other than having babies, of course."

"What about the biological replicants? They are more life than I."

"Aia, it's not what you're made of, it's who you are. Most of the AIAT series have developed tremendous personalities and self-awareness. Frankies, on the other hand, are just snippets of genetic code sliced together and grown in a tank. Most are barely aware of themselves. That's why their creation is forbidden in most civilized spheres. They are only good as slaves."

"I don't think your mother would approve of your use of the term Frankie towards the biological replicants."

"Oh, geez. I can see how you're developing. That's all I need, is a ship for another mother. No wonder she gave me this tub." Aia didn't reply. "What's the matter? Cat got your tongue?" asked Rick.

"What cat?" asked Jamie from behind. Rick jumped in surprise, knocking over the tool box, sending tools scattering all over the power deck.

"Oh, Hi Jamie." He turned and stared at her. She was wearing just the skimpy piece of green lingerie.

"Who were you talking to? I thought we were alone?"

"Who was I talking to? No, no one. Just myself. I do that a lot." Rick kneeled down and started gathering up the tools.

Jamie knelt down beside him and helped. "They say that people who talk to themselves are crazy." She looked over at him, and waited until he caught her eye. "But then, I always like a crazy lover."

Rick blushed, and looked down again. Jamie reached over and captured his chin, and brought her mouth over to his. "All this power, it excites me, Rick. Let's do it right here," she asked, pressing her body against his. The alarm lights suddenly began flashing. "Oh, darn. Why do they always go off just when I want a little attention from you?"

"Sorry, Jamie. We gotta leave now that the generator's fixed. If we stay, we'll get caught in the star's gravity. You better go strap in. If Blackcoat's still waiting for us, it could get rough."

"Okay, Ricky, but only if you promise to come back after all the excitement's over, and this time, don't undo the straps." Jamie gave him one of her hot, deep kisses, and then vanished back into the cabin.

Rick remained sitting on the floor for a minute, trying to regain his composure. "Wow, what a lady."

"Ricky?" inquired Aia.

"Yes, dear? Oh, Aia. What?"

"We are running out of time. I didn't flash the alarm for nothing. The star we're orbiting is a little unpredictable. Solar activity is up fifty percent and climbing. We need to get far enough away to engage the hyperdrive. If we engaged it in a gravity well, we'd. . ."

"I know, I know. We'd tear ourselves up into a billion bits. I'm coming right up." Rick got to his feet and headed towards the bridge.

"I noticed," said Aia. Rick shook his head, unsure what Aia meant by that.

Rick slid into the left command chair and ran a quick check.

"Everything's green with me," said Aia.

"Check. Power up and let's get out of here. Course one three seven mark zero two nine. Mark."

The thrusters engaged, and the ship started moving up the well against the force of gravity. There was a lurch as the star's gravity field shifted. "We're losing ground, Rick."

"Okay. Plot a slingshot around the star, shields at full. That should get us out of here."

"Course plotted and laid in, Rick. The shields won't hold long," reported Aia.

"Will it be long enough?" asked Rick.

"We'll have to go through at full power to minimize the exposure. Unknown if the shields will last."

"Like we have a choice." Rick snapped on the intercom. "Hang on, Jamie. Here we go." He turned off the intercom, and the ship turned and allowed the irresistible pull of the star to drag them into the depths of the gravity well. Halfway down, the thrusters advanced to full throttle, driving the Star Ghost faster into the star.

To Be Continued...