Alien Courage (Rise of the Empress) (66 page)

“Thanks
Drex
but for now
let’s see what we can do for Torquay and what else we can do to try to minimize
a war between the Houses,” Toormis answered and set the ship to auto pilot.
“Peter, give me a hand getting the android to sick bay. Administrator can you
get the voice recording done and let me know when you are ready.”

“Yes. Oh! There is a medical program of sorts in the
cubes, I haven’t looked at it yet but perhaps you would like to check it out
Cassy and see if you can find anything that is relevant for trauma injuries
that we could use.” the Administrator asked.

Cassy beamed at the offer and looked at Toormis with
anticipation. “Yes of course. Good idea,” Toormis replied. Cassy and the
Administrator hurried off the Bridge.

Toormis and Peter carried the android co-pilot to sick
bay and set it on the counter. With the use of the ship’s internal maintenance
passageways they brought up the cylinders with Torquay and the Emperor to sick
bay and placed them on the deck in the centre of the room.

“It will be good to have the Emperor and the cylinder
checked. Apparently Confederate doctors couldn’t do anything for him.” Toormis
said.

“Did they want to?” Peter replied quickly. “It seems
to me you can’t trust anything to do with the Confederacy and those Trigeals
you keep talking about. Just who are they anyway?”

“Good question. I don’t think anyone knows for sure.
Maybe he does,” Toormis said pointing to Torquay. “They have controlled the
Confederacy for just about forever. We are taught nothing about them except to
obey. If you don’t do what they command they can really mess you up.”

“Has anyone tried to fight them?” Peter asked.

“Oh yes, many times but the outcome is always the
same. Complete annihilation of the aggressor. You know; I don’t think a Trigeal
has ever been killed. They have some sort of impenetrable force field around
them, their ships and their robots.”

“They were mentioned in the Starfighter manual and
they are to be avoided at all times unless ordered to assist. I saw the image
of one in the manual. They seem familiar.”

“Yeah well, don’t fool with one or you’ll have a
number of them to contend with, they can appear out of nowhere and have weapons
which are similar to ours but many times more effective. They even have a much
more effective light expansion weapon that we have which traps light,
condenses
and then amplifies it. They shoot it with uncanny
accuracy and explode the light in or near the target,
fries
it instantly. Saw one do it once to an Echo Class fighter, the light goes
straight through the force fields and shields.” Toormis answered recalling the
incident and remembered it in awe of the destructive power.

Peter went silent as something made sense to him but
he couldn’t work out why. His face went tight with concentration.

“You OK Peter?”
Toormis asked.

Peter turned his head slowly to Toormis and looked
straight into his eyes. Toormis felt instantly chilled. “Peter?” he asked
cautiously.

“Yes. I’m fine,” Peter replied diverting his eyes.
“Let’s hook up the electronic neutralizer and a monitor camera in here.”

“Yes,” Toormis said but he felt a little nervous. The
look Peter gave him remained very much in his attention. He felt the weight of
the mini blaster swinging on his belt, it comforted him.

The Administrator walked in and surveyed sick bay. “I
have the recording. It was easy with so much of the Emperor’s voice on file.
Every speech he ever did is on the computer.”

“Good. We are ready here. I will go and find Cassy.
Meet you two on the Bridge,” Toormis said and left.

“
Drex
,” Peter said.

“Yes.”

“The Trigeals… Why do they treat people like they do?”
Peter asked.

“I don’t know Peter. Why do you ask?”

“Toormis just told me they have unlimited weapons and
robots that can’t be killed and will kill or intervene you if you don’t do what
they want. Is any of this true?”

“Yes it is Peter. That is the way it has been for the
long, long history of the Confederacy.” The Administrator answered and took a
gamble with Peter. “You don’t remember any of this?”

“No. Should I remember it?” Peter asked with a quiet
voice.

“You must be a member of the Confederacy. There is no being
in this sector of the universe that isn’t.” The Administrator said confidently.

“Yes. I suppose you are right but I just can’t
remember anything that makes sense to me,” Peter replied.

“OK, so what doesn’t make sense?”

“I get the feeling I know something but can’t remember
what. I’m very good with weapons and can do all sorts of things I don’t
understand.” Peter replied and the Administrator looked at him and raised his
eyebrows to keep Peter talking. “The computer and the space charts. The wolves
hunting on Zion and the shooting of the flintlock rifles, I don’t remember a
thing about how I know all that, yet I do it without thinking. Like now with
Toormis when he explained about the Trigeals and their robots, I just know why
they can’t be killed but have no memory of why I know that.”

The Administrator’s eyes flickered and he swallowed
hard. “How?” he almost stuttered.

“Time, they modulate from a few seconds in the future
to a few in the past. Your shots or energy pulses, even if it could penetrate
through their shields would be in the wrong time they are in. One would think
that if you could time modulate your rate of fire through their force field
they would be vulnerable or at least keep them out of the present long enough
to have a negative environment waiting for them when they reappeared back into
the present. They would have to reappear in present time to re-evaluate their
status and to take a bearing and to stabilise their time circuits. Time is only
relative to another time, stabilising it is critical. Destabilize their time
and they disappear forever.” Peter explained.

“We don’t know of any such technology, do you?” The
Administrator asked controlling the excitement bubbling inside him.

Peter went silent and looked around him. He walked
over to the android which was staring with dead lifeless doll eyes. “I don’t
know. It seems like a silly thing to have to think about. Let’s go, I have a
feeling we need to get this Torquay fellow out of his cylinder quickly.”

They left sick bay and locked the door with a special
electronic key which could only be opened from the Bridge. Cassy and Toormis
were in their seats on the Bridge when Peter and the Administrator arrived.

“Ready,” the Administrator said as he stood in front
of the tactical computer and flicked switches. The main screen flickered, and
then the image of inside sick bay materialized.

“Any luck with the cube Cassy?” the Administrator
asked.

“Not really. Lots of information on just about every
animal and fish there ever was but nothing on humanoids yet, it’s a huge
program. I’d like to study that cube though, it’s fascinating.”

“Be my guest,” the Administrator replied and Cassy
smiled at him. The Administrator was relieved that Cassy was now more relaxed
with him since the incident in sick bay with the blaster.

“Here goes,” Toormis said and activated the android by
remote. The android came to life and stood up. “Initiating medical program,” it
said in a typical mechanically sounding voice

The voice of the Emperor sounded over the speaker
system of the ship. “You are to examine both the humanoids in this infirmary
and record the diagnosis and compute a treatment. Administer any immediately
necessary treatment. When you have completed, deactivate yourself.”

The android turned its head and took in the scene,
then walked over to look at the cylinders. “Affirmative, My Lord,” it answered
and proceeded to open Torquay’s cylinder. A sigh of relief swept through the
Bridge.

The examination of Torquay was brief. The android took
him out of the cylinder and placed him carefully on the examining table. “This
humanoid has a fractured skull but it is in an advanced stage of self repair.
Tests indicate no permanent internal damage but concussion and soft tissue
bruising will require rest and recuperation. I have replaced the blood plasma
lost through trauma and shock plus administered nutrients and sustenance per
the age condition. This humanoid will regain consciousness within this time frame
if not put back into suspended animation. It is medically recommended this
patient not be put back into an artificial environment and be allowed to rest
for at least five time frames once fully revived.”

The android opened the Emperor’s cylinder and hooked
up the diagnostic terminals. It withdrew a blood sample and ran it through a
testing machine. The android consulted the onboard medical computer. Another
blood sample was taken plus hair and skin samples. Tests were run on them and
then the android carefully closed the Emperor’s life support cylinder. “The
second patient is suffering from a central nervous system failure and cannot
survive without artificial life support. The initial tests were negative but
the hair sample showed high levels of parasitic memory indicative of an organic
based invasion of the central nervous system. Recommend continuance of life
support systems until suitable enzyme can be administered. The medical files
relating to this condition are either missing or have never been entered into
my database or the ship’s computer. Medical program shutting down and
deactivation complete.” The android had placed itself in the exact position it
was placed in sick bay and shut itself down.

“That’s a relief,” Toormis said and blew a whistle.
“Well done on the voice commands Administrator. That was the key.”

“Yes, I think we should record a few commands that may
be needed in an emergency,” the Administrator added.

“Good idea.”

“Toormis, let’s move Torquay to a cabin of his own. It
looks awfully uncomfortable on that examination table. Then I’ll make us all
dinner. I found the galley stores for visiting dignitaries. It’s about time we
had something other than this ‘space junk’ you seem to relish,” Cassy said with
a sparkle in her eye.

“Excellent idea!
Administrator, the Bridge is yours.
Might be a good time to start working on some draft commands for
our androids.
Peter would you assist Cassy and
myself
to put Torquay in a more fitting environment. I noticed how efficient you are
with the flying platforms,” Toormis ordered feeling happy Cassy had started
acting more like herself and the news that Torquay wasn’t seriously injured
gave them all an optimistic outlook.

Peter handled the thin flying cargo platform with ease
and they soon had Torquay in the cabin next to Peter. Cassy impressed Toormis
with her businesslike approach to getting Torquay cleaned up, washed and in
fresh clothes. Even though sedated Torquay seemed at peace and had a calming
effect on all of them, especially Peter who had shown a very caring and gentle
approach to the old man’s needs.

The three of them stood a little cramped in Torquay’s
cabin and looked at the sleeping old man. “He’s had quite an adventure and
doesn’t know a thing about it,” Toormis said looking down at Torquay. “Best we
leave him to get all the rest he needs.” Toormis and Cassy left the room but
stood in the hallway waiting for Peter.

Peter went up to Torquay and placed his hand on his
shoulder. Torquay stirred and Peter smiled. “I know you don’t
I
?” he whispered and left to join the others. Cassy hooked
her arm into Peter’s as well as Toormis’s as they made their way to the galley,
a smile glowing on her face.

The galley was quite a challenge for them to master as
it was nothing like a normal ship’s galley. Toormis gave up trying to learn the
procedures of the complex cooking electronics and made an excuse to get back to
the Bridge. Peter happily assigned himself to be a servant and would willingly
take whatever orders Cassy gave him except learning all the different
procedures for operating the galley’s cooking machines.